Sisterly Revenge
by Wicked112
Summary: A/U - Amanda wasn't the only Clarke girl there the night her father was arrested, and now her older half-sister is back in the Hamptons determined to protect Amanda at all costs. How will this effect Emily's plans for revenge? And how will this new character play into the lives of everyone in the Hamptons? Starts in Season 3!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first venture into writing Fanfiction for Revenge. It's slightly A/U though I'm planning on following Season 3 starting with the episode Confession. Feel free to Read and Review! And I own nothing but Genevieve! **

It was four in the morning when the phone rang. Outside, the Chicago night was just starting to pick up as those whose jobs started at the crack of dawn began to get ready for the day. Me, my job didn't require me to stroll in until eight at the earliest, making a four a.m. phone call something I didn't look forward to. However, running a media empire, also meant that four in the morning phone calls weren't something to be ignore either.

My hand reached blindly towards the buzzing phone, and my tired eyes barely discerned the words "Unknown Caller" flashing on the screen. Any other time, I'd of ignored a call from an unknown caller, but these days, and at this hour of the morning, ignoring the call didn't seem like a good idea.

"Genevieve Ramston," I answered, doing my best to hide the sleepiness in my voice. Next to me, my husband rolled over. He was a sound sleeper, and was used to late night calls from editors panicking about deadlines. He had learned long ago to just turn over and go back to sleep when I answered, and today seemed no different. However, it was, as the words that crackled out from the phone were not ones I had been expecting to hear.

"She needs your help," I frowned, using the hand not holding the phone to wipe at my face, trying to wake myself up a little more.

"Who? Who is this?" I asked, not recognizing the male voice on the other end of the line. Usually, my panicked editors identified themselves by now, or my sources were a little more specific about why they were calling. This call seemed vague, and that was confusing me, more so due to the early hour at which they were calling.

"Amanda," That had my body snapping to full attention, and I moved to sit upright in the bed.

"Nolan?" I asked, knowing that the only person who ever called to tell me about my sister was Nolan. He was the one charged with watching out for her by both my father and me. When my sister had been in juvie, and I had been stuck in a Swiss boarding school, my father had trusted Nolan to watch over Amanda, and I had trusted Nolan to watch over Amanda when she got out, especially since she didn't seem to want anything to do with me.

"No. She needs your help." I glanced at the clock. In the Hamptons, it had to be a little after five. Definitely not Nolan, though the caller had already said that.

"Who is this? Why does she need my help?" The caller made a sound that I guessed was annoyed.

"I can't talk anymore. She needs you, she's in danger," With that the phone went dead in my ear. I waited a moment though, expecting someone to come back on the line, tell me what was happening with my little sister. Except another sound wasn't made, just the tone letting me know that my phone call was over.

I pulled myself out of bed, my pounding heart letting me know I wasn't going to sleep any longer. My husband didn't even stir as I went into the bathroom, flipping on the lights to stare at myself in the mirror, noticing the resemblance between myself, and the sister I hadn't seen since I was twelve years old, almost immediately. Like my sister, I had brown eyes, eyes we both got from our father. Unlike her, my hair was a chestnut brown, the same color as my mother's. But our faces were similar, something my father used to say marked us as sisters even if we had different mothers. I used to think having a different mother would make us different, but what we went through I always believed meant we were the same.

Unfortunately, my sister didn't see it that way. Her letters to me out of juvie, written just before my father's death and her release, told me that much. She blamed me for her predicament, and worse than that, she hated me for having the life she didn't get. Where she bounced between foster homes during the trial, I was whisked away to Switzerland by my mother to attend a private boarding school, far from the prying eyes of the public and the grasp of people she believed may try to harm me simply because my last name was Clarke, the same as an accused terrorist. Amanda also told me she hated me because I went by my mother's last name after the conviction, unwilling to understand that my mother hadn't given me much chose in the matter. It hadn't just been my father that had been betrayed that night, but her as well.

My mother, she was the only daughter, and heiress, to a media empire my great-grandfather had begun in the early nineteen hundreds. At the time, he had simply created a newspaper, which my grandfather turned into a media empire that also included a publicity company. It had been in that company that my parents met. My mother had been interning at the same time as my father. Both were in college, and both hadn't been ready for a child. Fate's funny like that. I entered the world just as my parents were calling it quits, my mother's free spirit not interested in being tied down because of me. My father understood, and both did their best to give me a normal life.

I was four when Amanda was born, and I had been ecstatic at the time. I had always wanted a sibling, and even if Amanda was my half-sister, she was still my sister, one I saw as often as I could between visits with my mother and my grandparents. I had been there the summer my father was taken. My mother had been in Paris, running the fashion half of my grandfather's empire when my father was arrested. My sister and I were dragged from the house screaming that night. I still remember her screaming for my father, while I screamed for her. I didn't want to be separated, but sadly, that night was the last time I saw her. Since my mother had partial custody of me, I was immediately sent to be with her. Amanda didn't have anyone else, so she was put into the system, and despite my mother's best efforts she remained there, something she still blames me for.

Her blame hasn't kept me from being her sister though, and Nolan had been my saving grace. My father must of realized Amanda would be upset about my life, and asked Nolan to watch over both of us, Amanda more than me. I was always okay on my own he told Nolan, but Amanda would need someone. It had been Nolan that told me when Amanda resurfaced in the Hampton's under another name, and he who told me about the switch. But I hadn't heard anything from him in a while, and I thought that meant Amanda was just starting over. But now, well now I wondered if a call to Nolan was in order.


	2. Chapter 2

I waited until I was in my office on lunch before dialing Nolan's number. I knew it by heart. After my father's death, he had been a lifeline for me. He had been the only one who believed my father was innocent in a world where everyone scorned his name. Nolan had also been the one to counsel me through my sister's dismissal of me. He'd promised to watch out for her, and he'd done that well, or so I thought. The phone call was still playing through my mind as Nolan picked up, his smooth words bringing a smile to my usually serious face.

"And here I thought I only had one Clarke to contend with for my party," I glanced at the door to my office, glad that it was shut. Since "Amanda" had died, I was supposed to be the only Clarke sister left. Well, besides Charlotte, though for my own reasons, I didn't consider her a Clarke.

"Party? And I didn't get an invite, I'm crushed," I said, knowing that Nolan didn't invite me to events for a reason. My father had been the first to invest in the company, and since his conviction, Nolan had done his best to distance himself from the Clarke name. I never blamed him, it had been my father's idea after all. It was the same reason he had told my mother to change my last name as soon as she could. My father never wanted any of us to suffer for his betrayal.

"Well Chicago is so far from the Hamptons, didn't think you'd want to make the journey," I glanced out the window at the Chicago skyline my office overlooked. The city was bright today, the summer air clearing away the rain the spring always seemed to bring.

"I usually wouldn't. But I got a call last night," I could practically see Nolan's face changing at my words. Anytime I mentioned mysterious phone calls to Nolan, he always made the same face.

"Oh?" I turned my chair to face the skyline directly, finding the sight soothing, and I knew I needed soothing for my words.

"A man called me, said Amanda is in danger. What do you know of that?" The pause on the other end of the line told me a lot. "Is she in danger?" I asked, a little afraid of what words may come from his mouth next.

"I don't know. Maybe. I'm always a little afraid she's in over her head," I pinched the bridge of my nose, I had feared that was the case. When Nolan had told me my sister wanted to take down all of those that had betrayed my father, I had begged him to stop her. He told me he would try, and then the next thing I heard, he couldn't convince her so he was going to help her. I had thought that better than letting her go at it alone. "With the other Amanda gone," Nolan trailed off, and I knew what he was trying to say. With the girl my sister had paid to take her place gone, there was always the chance that someone might go after the actual Amanda. Or worse yet, figure it all out.

"How much danger do you think she's in?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. My protective instincts were kicking into high gear as I spun back to my desk, my free hand opening up my internet browser to search for flights.

"I don't know. The Grayson's are always unpredictable, especially since your sister wiped their bank accounts," I raised an eyebrow at that information. I had heard from some of my socialite connections that the Grayson's were going through a hard time, but I had tried my best to just ignore that information, as well as any other information about the Grayson clan. Their name still sent a jolt of anger through me, which was part of the reason I usually avoided anything and everything to do with them.

"I'm booking a flight," I said, knowing that I'd need Nolan's help. The last time I had been to the Hampton's, I had been a child unable to drive or even know where I was going. Now, I was an adult who was more used to the Chicago streets than the ones out East.

"There's no need to do that," Nolan said, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. Part of me knew he didn't want to have to explain to my sister why I was in town, and the other part of me knew it was because he didn't know how to protect both me and my sister at the same time. I was the one Nolan never had to watch over, my grandparents and mother doing most of the work for him. He hadn't even had to deal with me owning twenty three percent of his company, as the moment I turned eighteen I had gifted my shares to my sister, knowing full well that I didn't need the money the way she would. I had always been the one he could count on, and now I was going to become a wild card like my sister.

"Yes there is. If she's in over her head, then she needs someone to rescue her. Her fake double is gone, and the Grayson's probably now think they are safe from the Clarke name. Time to show them they are wrong," I said, making a face as Nolan let out a slightly impressed whistle.

"I can hear the resemblance between you," I clicked purchase on the screen, suddenly grateful that my grandfather leaving me as CEO upon his retirement, meant I could do whatever I wanted so long as I had a phone on me.

"I'll see you for your party." I said, hanging up the phone and pressing another button. "Jane, I'm going to the airport. Get me reservations at the South Fork Inn," I said, getting up and grabbing my brief case. I knew my husband would manage, he had his own law firm to manage, and I had a sister I needed to go see.


	3. Chapter 3

Driving back through the Hamptons brought back more memories than I was ready for. Some of the sights had changed, but the smell in the air and the sun the hit my skin was the same as I remembered it being when I was twelve years old and seeing the place for the first time with my father and sister. I almost expected to hear my father's voice in my ear as I neared the town, but instead I just heard the soft music of the radio, my father's voice long silenced by the people who made their homes here.

Finding Nolan's wasn't hard, even if he did have a new address courtesy of my sister. He'd texted me the address when I landed, along with where the money had come from. After his jail stint, I knew that most of his money was gone, or should have been. Nolan may have been charged with looking out for my sister and I, but truthfully we had always looked out for one another. I had been the one to make sure he had money when he got out, funneling some funds into an account for him, wanting to make sure he was taken care of the way he took care of my sister. I'd also been the one making sure that when Grayson Global took over Nolcorp that it wasn't run into the ground. I'd also been about ready to break Nolan out of jail, ignoring his pleas that it would take care of itself. Like my father, I believed in loyalty, something I was glad Nolan believed in as well as my car pulled behind a few others at the house.

I stepped from the car, suddenly glad I had stopped at home before getting on the plane as I spotted the outfits around me. Chicago business attire didn't seem to fit in with this bunch, something I made a mental note of as I smoothed down the dark blue bandage dress I usually wore for formal parties at my husband's law firm. A husband I also made a mental note to call when I checked in at the hotel.

My husband, Alex, hadn't been thrilled to hear I was headed to the Hampton's. Like my father, Alex preferred I stay far away from the drama that had once changed my life so drastically. My father had liked Alex for that reason, though he'd only met him once just before his death. I had brought Alex to see him, simply wanting Alex to hear my father's side of the story before he wrote my father, and maybe me, off as crazy. My father had liked Alex's sincerity and passion for life, and had told me as much in his last letter that Alex and I were a good match. It was a letter I'm certain he wouldn't write about my sister and her fiancé, a little tidbit I had learned on my flight over when I'd decided to dig into my sister's current busy life. I'd been a little upset to learn she was engaged to Daniel, shocked she'd do that. Clearly, Nolan had left some things out in his quest to protect me and my sister.

I slipped through the people, not knowing who I was rubbing elbows with, and not really caring. The Chicago social scene I was used to was quite different than the ones the Hampton's presented, and I knew that would likely make me stick out. Indeed, it seemed to, as I could see a few glancing in my direction, a question in their eyes of who I was. In Chicago, the question wouldn't of even been presented. The media firm I ran was one of the most successful in the city, and most people at least recognized my name. But here, I knew I was a little out of my league. These people came from families that had been around for years, while my family, or rather my grandfather's family, had never had an interest in being those people. My great-grandfather lived his entire life in the same three bedroom home, even after his paper had taken off. My grandfather and grandmother still lived in an apartment, though their apartment location was now in Florida rather than Chicago, and my husband and I chose to live in a duplex that was a far cry from the multi-million dollar homes around. Where my family believed in humility, these people believed in extravagance, something that wasn't lost on me as I watched people drink and be merry in a way that made me think of Marie Antoinette's court just before they were overrun by the poor.

"You made it," I turned to see Nolan in all his glory. Despite it being years since I had seen him in person, he still seemed to be the same Nolan I remember my father having business meetings with, the geeky boy with a big idea.

"How could I miss this?" I asked, motioning to the extravagance that surrounded me. "I have to say, I don't think I've seem something so luxurious since I attended the Trump's Christmas party in Chicago a few years ago," I said, taking a flute of champagne as it went by.

"Luxury is what the Hampton's is all about," I pressed my lips together, wondering if perhaps Alex had been right about me being out of my league. I certainly wouldn't be able to throw a party like this, not without having a few mini heart attacks along the way, yet Nolan didn't seem to be concerned about the cost.

"Speaking of luxury, you going to be renting a place around here?" I shook my head.

"I have a life in Chicago, one I'll need to return to eventually. I'm staying at the South Fork," I said, watching as Nolan's eyes scanned the crowd before he motioned with his head towards someone.

I turned, and spotted my sister immediately. She may of grown up a lot, but I knew her anywhere. Her hair was down, and the white outfit she was wearing reminded me a lot of one I owned myself. I watched her as she moved, the man at her side clearly the Grayson she was engaged to. The sight of him had me pursing my lips slightly, wishing that the sight of him didn't make me want to throw my glass at his head. While my father had urged forgiveness, I still struggled to do that, especially when I knew the Grayson's lived the life my sister and I were supposed to.

"She seems okay," I noted, not seeing what immediate danger she was in. However, I knew danger wasn't always immediate, and it wasn't always clearly defined either.

"Okay is such a subjective term," Nolan reminded me, taking me elbow and leading me towards where my sister was. As we approached, I saw her send the man off, clearly wishing to speak to Nolan in private, or as private as she could with so many people around.

"Nolan, nice-" My sister stopped speaking as she looked at me, her eyes clearly registering who I was. "What are you doing here?" I kept my composure, despite the hurt feeling that ran through me. I knew she'd react this way, but that didn't mean I couldn't hope she might be happy to see her older sister.

"Attending a party," I responded, watching as my sister gave me a look I was known for giving my husband when he decided to get smart with me. "I got a phone call," I said, deciding I might as well be straight with her, especially if she wasn't going to give me the time of day for no reason.

"What kind of phone call?" My sister asked, a slightly suspicious look on her face as she looked between me and Nolan.

"The kind that said you were in danger. You might hate me, but that doesn't mean I don't still have a desire to protect you," I said, taking a sip of the champagne as Amanda looked away, clearly annoyed.

"I don't need your protection, I'm fine. Just as I was when you reached out to me the first time," I shook my head. I didn't like thinking of the first time, that angry letter I had gotten in response to my wish to help her. I had wanted to get her into college, pay for her to go wherever she wanted to start over. She'd wanted me to simply get lost.

"Clearly. But like it or not, I am your older sister," I said, keeping my voice low so no one else heard. "Dad-" My sister's eyes snapped towards me at that.

"Don't mention him," I knew I had hit a nerve, but I also knew that I had to forge ahead.

"He told me to watch out for you, and I have done that from afar for a long time. But I can't do it from afar any longer." I said, pulling out my phone and pulling up the unknown number that had called earlier. "You recognize the number?" My sister glanced at the screen before shaking her head.

"When did they call you?" She asked as I gave the phone to Nolan.

"This morning, early this morning. They said you needed me, that you were in danger, then hung up. Any of that ring bells?" My sister pressed her lips together, and I almost felt like I was looking into a mirror as she glanced around.

"No. But why did you think it was about me?" I glanced around as well before stepping closer to her.

"Because they used your name, your real name," My sister looked at me, a little alarmed as she took my arm and pulled me towards a more empty area.

"Amanda is dead," I crossed my arms, watching as Nolan tinkered with my phone nearby.

"I'm aware. I got a call asking for a statement when it happened." I reminded her. When fake Amanda had died, I had found out from one of my editors who had discovered the connection between me and her. I had told the editor to keep quiet and paid them a good sum to do so. Most people only remembered Amanda because she went into foster care and fake Amanda had done some interviews while the older daughter had disappeared in Europe. Very few knew that I had returned, and that when I did I had returned with my mother's last name and a desire not to drag the Clarke name through the mud any farther.

"I thought you changed your name to avoid that," My sister said, her words harsh.

"My mother changed my name to avoid that." I reminded her. "And that doesn't mean people completely forgot my existence." I said, knowing that during the trial, the media had shown photos of my father with Amanda and I, asking how a monster could have two daughters and what we thought. Neither of us had been allowed to talk, my father never wanting us on the stand no matter how much I protested that I could handle it.

"Did you give a statement?" I shook my head.

"Never saw a reason to comment on the death of a girl I didn't know," I said, knowing that had been the entire reason I refused to say anything. Had my actual sister died, I would of given a statement and then created hell until I found out what happened. But a girl I didn't know died, I didn't have a thing to say. I just figured it was a part of my sister's plot.

"Didn't want to tarnish your name," I gave my sister an annoyed look, one I was sure mirrored her annoyed look.

"If it had been you, I would of written an entire book of statements." I said. "I never cared about my name. I'd use Dad's last name if I wasn't married," I said, knowing that before I got married, I had gone by Genevieve Ainsley, and had just changed to Ramston after I was married, preferring to go by my married last name than my maiden name. I wanted to make a name for myself, not ride the coat tails of the Ainsley family name. Though, taking over the Ainsley Media Corporation upon my grandfather's retirement had defeated that purpose slightly.

"Whatever," My sister responded, a smile coming to her face as Daniel suddenly reappeared. I took a sip of the champagne again, knowing I needed to get something into my system if I was going to be within a few feet of him.

"Daniel, I'd like you to meet Genevieve Ramston. She and I used to be on the board for arts education together," I fought to suppress a laugh at that. Last I checked, I wasn't on any boards for anything. Alex did all of that stuff as I hated being on boards I didn't have to be on. Alex was better at that stuff than I was, his charming presence making him a great board member while I was great at being a CEO who kept any and all meetings as short as possible so everyone could do their own work.

"Ramston, why do I know that name?" Daniel asked, extending a hand out to me. I forced a smile as I extended my hand as well, giving his a shake.

"She runs Ainsley Media Corporation," Daniel's face lit up at that, and I got a strange sense I was being forced into a meeting I didn't plan on.

"You own half the newspapers and media websites in the Midwest," Daniel said, and I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes at the fact that he was stating the obvious and missing that we now owned more than half along with half of the West Coast media along with parts of Europe. I had been busy in my six years as C.E.O. but of course he didn't know that.

"Yes," I said, taking my hand away as Nolan gave me my phone back, a new number flashing across the screen, one I actually recognized. "And the media never rests, so if you'll excuse me, I have an editor to talk to," I said, taking the call and walking away, heading outside to talk to one of the editors and just get some fresh air.


	4. Chapter 4

Fifteen minutes later, I had the editor of one of the fashion magazines calmed down enough to send his magazine to print and I was watching a show down.

I hadn't even seen Victoria Grayson walk in, though maybe that was because I didn't want to see her. The last time I had seen her had been the night my sister and were dragged from the house. I remember seeing her watching the whole ordeal, and wondering why she wasn't doing anything to stop it. She was the cause of it all, I knew that. My father didn't want to believe she could do any wrong, but I knew now that she could only do wrong. She only believed in protecting her, and her own, and my sister and I were collateral damage. Now she was here, with a man on her arm that my sister must of known given that they were arguing when I approached.

I watched as my sister insulted Victoria, and as Victoria seemed to let it roll off of her. To me, it was like watching a dragon fight another dragon, where neither would win, yet both wanted to get some shots in. I grabbed another glass of champagne, planning on downing it to get over my anger at the sight of Victoria when the male she was with spoke, and I nearly dropped the glass, my mind replaying the conversation.

I suddenly found myself watching him intensely, knowing it had been his voice on the phone, but I didn't know why. I didn't know him, and I knew he didn't know me, yet I was certain he had called me. My only question was why he had called me, and what his connection to my little sister was.

However, I didn't get a chance to ask, as after the fight he hurried off with Victoria, both clearly looking to strategize. I did manage to snap a picture of him with my phone, a picture I sent along to Jane, asking her to run it through some software the company kept. It was new software, something we were thinking of showing to law enforcement once we got the kinks out. I had sent Jane images of people before to run as test subjects, and hoped she'd see this as the same thing. I knew that I needed to know who he was before I confronted him. If journalism had taught me one thing, it was know all your facts before you ask a question, otherwise you might be given information that is far from true.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey! I'm glad to see some people are enjoying this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it! Please continue to read and review! **

The South Fork Inn hadn't changed much from the last time I had seen it. I had only stayed in it once, during the summer of my father's arrest. My mother had come to visit and stayed at the Inn, not wanting to impose on my father's home. I had stayed overnight with her, and the rooms seemed the same.

I had just changed out of the dress I had worn to the party and into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt when a knock came at the door. I looked at the time before going to the door, only slightly surprised to see my sister standing there.

"How long are you staying?" She asked, coming in before I could even say anything. I shut the door behind her, knowing this wasn't a conversation that needed to be overheard.

"I was going to stay maybe a week, make sure everything was as okay as they could be," I said, knowing I really planned on staying until I figured out why the man had called me. I still didn't know his name, Jane hadn't gotten back to me, just that he was the reason I was here, and I just wanted to know why before I left. I hoped that wouldn't be more than a week. The Hamptons was a small circle, I didn't think it would take me that long to run into him after I had his name.

"Can you stay longer?" That had me reeling in surprise as I looked at my sister. She seemed serious, and I wondered what had happened after I left.

"Yes, I have a board of people who practically run the company, I can stay," I said, taking a seat in a nearby chair and motioning for her to do the same.

"I think you might be helpful," Amanda said, taking a seat across from me.

"How so?" I asked, wanting to make sure I knew what part I was going to play before I signed up for this production.

"The Grayson's think they are in the clear because Amanda is gone. You being around, it might put pressure on them, plus, Charlotte needs someone," I tapped my fingers on the table.

"I agree with the first part, but I'm not sure about the second part," I said, knowing that I had avoided the whole Charlotte idea for a reason. When I'd found out she was a Clarke, I had been shocked. I'd been more shocked when she'd chosen to take the last name Clarke, at least until that shock turned to anger that she was taking the last name without even understanding what that meant. She was taking it without the hardships it had originally brought in my mind, and to me, that didn't seem fair.

"She needs a sister, and you are a good one," I raised an eyebrow.

"Last time I checked, you wanted nothing to do with me. Do the words, you're not my sister, you're just a girl who I once spent a summer with ring a bell?" Amanda looked down at her hands.

"Look, I was angry. I had just gotten out of juvie, I was in the middle of Dad's journals, and here you write me wanting into my life. You had a great life, I had nothing, it didn't seem fair." I sighed.

"Because it wasn't fair. My mom tried to get you out of there, but," I didn't finish the statement, the look in my sister's eyes scaring me slightly.

"But?" She said, and I realized this was new information to her.

"Nothing, never mind," I said, not wanting to give her more ammo against the Grayson's. She was already angry enough, and I didn't want to tip the scales to dangerous.

"But what?" I bit my lip, realizing I wasn't going to get the subject changed.

"Victoria Grayson came to see her. Told her to drop the bid to get you out or she'd get custody stripped from my mother. My mother had some DUI's on her record from before I was born and a history of bipolar disorder from when she was a teenager. She was scared she'd lose me." I spilled. "She sent me to Europe so Victoria couldn't get her claws into me, and dropped the bid. My grandfather wasn't talking to my mother at the time, she didn't think he'd protect us from them." I watched my sister's face at the revelation. She didn't seem surprised, but maybe nothing about the Grayson's surprised her anymore. "I only found out when my mother had a breast cancer scare a few years ago. She didn't tell anyone because she didn't think anyone would help her anyway."

"I know Victoria was the reason I was locked up for so long. I don't blame you for that anymore." I gave a slight smile at that, one that was dashed at her next words. "But that doesn't mean I suddenly want to be your sister either. I'm Emily Thorne here, not Amanda Clarke. You're just another person here," I nodded, understanding where I stood. I wasn't her sister, I was another pawn, but at least I was something.

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked, knowing that as a pawn, I had to have a purpose.

"Help me turn up the heat, and let Charlotte know you are in town. She's staying at the Stowaway with Jack," I felt my brow crease at that. Jack, why did I know that name?

"So just go over there?" I said, wanting to make sure I had my assignment right. Befriend Charlotte, I could do that, maybe. I'd just have to put aside my hatred of the Grayson's.

"Yes. Tell her Emily sent you when she realized that you were Amanda's older sister. I need her to trust me again," Amanda said, standing up signaling the conversation was over.

"I can do that." I said, before grabbing her arm. "Hold on a second though. I want to show you something," I requested, getting up and going to my suitcase. I pulled out a picture, showing it to my sister.

"I wanted you to know who your family is," I said, pointing to Alex. "That's my husband, Alex. He's a lawyer, mostly family law." I said, before pointing to the two kids in the picture.

"That's my daughter, Marisol, she's four and currently in Florida with my grandparents for the summer," I said, pointing to the bright eyed blonde in the picture, one that often reminds me a lot of Amanda when she was that age. "And that is Jeremiah David, he's two. Alex has him in Chicago," I said, knowing that it was hardest to leave him in Chicago while I was here. Work might let me pick up and go, but being a parent didn't always.

"You probably need to get back to them," Amanda murmured, and I wondered what was going through her head.

"They will be fine. Like it or not, my priority is you. They need their Aunt safe," I said, knowing that really hit a nerve when Amanda stood up.

"They need you safe. Just do this for me then you can go back home." Amanda said, heading towards the door, turning as I set the photo down on the table. "I'm glad one of us got the life Dad wanted for us," I didn't even get a chance to protest before she was gone, and I was once again alone.


	6. Chapter 6

I had to admit to myself as I entered the Stowaway, that it was nice to see some things hadn't changed. The place still had the same smell to it, and the same look, making me wonder if maybe some things hadn't changed.

"I'll be right with you," I looked to the bar, almost doing a double take. Little Jack had definitely grown up, and my mind flashed back to watching him and my sister play on the beach while I read a book nearby. They had always been adorable, and I had always been stuck babysitting, or rather making sure neither of them drown.

"Take your time," I said, taking a seat at the bar. My jeans and nicer top seemed to fit in better here, and I felt more at home then I did at Nolan's party.

"What can I get for you?" Jack asked, and I wondered if he remembered me. Based on the way he was acting, he didn't, but I knew that might be because I wasn't twelve anymore.

"I was thinking a million dollars, or maybe a trip to Thailand to ride an elephant," I said, hoping it might jog his memory. When we were younger, I used to say that every time he'd ask what I wanted. Usually it was said in sarcastic tones after I yelled his name to make him stop doing something on the beach. Jack tilted his head a moment, his eyes narrowing as he tried to figure out why that sounded familiar before his eyes widened and he looked me up and down.

"Genevieve," He said, causing me to smile.

"In the flesh." Jack grinned a moment before that grin faded.

"Why are you here?" I gave out a sigh.

"That's a long story, one I don't know how to even explain," I said, not sure if he knew who my sister was, or if he still thought the girl he had married (Nolan had filled me in on that tidbit) was actually my sister.

"Did Emily send you?" That answered that question for me.

"Kind of." Jack didn't seem happy to hear that. "She wanted me to connect with Charlotte, make sure she knew she had a sister she could still talk to. But I wanted to see you, make sure you were okay." Jack didn't seem to buy the second part, and I wondered what had happened between him and my sister.

"Tell Emily I'm fine," I scratched my neck.

"She and I aren't exactly on free speaking terms. Complicated." I said, watching as Jack gave a slight laugh at that.

"Emily Thorne and complicated, I've heard that before," I smirked.

"It's how our family runs," I said, before glancing behind the bar. "You wouldn't happen to have some soda would you? I don't believe in drinking before five unless I'm drinking with someone," I said, watching as Jack grabbed a can of soda for me and poured it.

"So how have you been? I haven't seen you since," I nodded, knowing what he was saying.

"I know. I've been good. I live in Chicago now," Jack let out a slight whistle at that.

"That's a long way from the Hamptons," He said as he set the soda in front of me.

"I know. But you do what you have to for the people you love. Complicated as it may be, I do love her," I said, swirling the drink slightly in it's glass. "And I promised Dad that I'd protect her. Just didn't know how to do that, still don't." Jack gave a nod.

"Emily isn't one that likes to be protected," I gave a small laugh.

"That's the understatement of the century right there." I said, glancing at the stairs as a girl came down holding a baby.

"Jack, he won't settle down," I guessed she was Charlotte, mostly because she struck me as a Grayson for some reason.

"Aww, what's wrong bud?" Jack said, taking the crying child from Charlotte before motioning to me.

"Charlotte, I think this is someone you might want to meet. This is Genevieve Clarke," I forced a smile as I looked at a surprised Charlotte. "It's Genevieve Ramston now, but it's nice to meet you, Charlotte."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm going to get the rest of the chapters up tonight for the season so far. I'm going to watch tonight's new episode likely Tuesday night since I have to work and I don't want to start writing only to stop because I'm exhausted! Once I see the new episode, hopefully I'll find a way to incorporate Genevieve into the story! Please keep reading and reviewing! **

Charlotte didn't seem to get over the shock of meeting me until Jack cleared his throat, indicating that she needed to move.

"I didn't know Amanda had a sister," Charlotte said, glancing at Jack, almost as if asking if was serious.

"Half-sister." I corrected, not wanting Charlotte to get the wrong impression. "Amanda and I weren't on the best terms when she died, something I deeply regret," I lied, knowing that if I was going to help my sister, I needed to lie.

"So why are you here now?" Charlotte asked, and I quickly saw the Grayson in her. Her words sounded just like something a Grayson would say, and I wondered why she was taking my father's last name when she was clearly a Grayson.

"Because when she died, Emily called me," I said, struggling to use my sister's alias. "She knew I was Amanda's sister from when we were on a foundation board together, and after Amanda died she called to inform me, and mentioned you were planning the funeral. I would of come, but I didn't think I'd be welcomed after so many years." I decided that explanation worked, and Charlotte seemed to buy it, though the mention of Emily had her flinching a little.

"So Emily asked you to come see me?" Charlotte asked, and I couldn't help but wonder what Amanda had done to upset Charlotte so much.

"No. She'd merely mentioned you were planning the funeral. I chose to come here on my own. I know it's late, but I wasn't sure what Amanda told you and therefore, how much you'd want to be around me," I explained, suddenly grateful for all those acting classes I enrolled in as a kid. I might have done it planning on being a newscaster someday, but clearly it had come in handy now.

"She never mentioned you," I let out a sad sigh.

"I was afraid of that. It was why I waited so long. But I had some business in New York and decided to stop by, see what my sister was doing before she died," Behind the bar, I could see Jack giving me a look that suggested disappointment, and wondered how much he knew. Clearly, he knew who Emily really was, but did he know why she was actually here?

"I think Amanda would of loved to see you." Charlotte said after a moment. I tried to hide my surprise at that statement. My sister hadn't seemed thrilled to see me, but maybe if the situation was different…

"I wish that was true. She resented me a lot for going to live with my mother after our father was arrested. I think she hated me for having the life she didn't get." I admitted, feeling like I was practically quoting the thoughts I usually had about why my sister didn't like me that much, or at all.

"Well she didn't hate me, and I had a good life before, so I don't think she would of hated you, and I certainly don't hate you," Charlotte said, putting her hand on my arm. "I'm excited to get to know you." I gave her a genuine smile at that, though in the back of my mind, I felt like I was betraying my father. The Grayson's had caused us nothing but heartache and here I was chatting with one like it was nothing. But we all have to make sacrifices, and clearly this was going to be mine.


	8. Chapter 8

Meeting Charlotte hadn't been as terrible as I expected it to be. After the initial awkwardness, I found her rather pleasant to talk to. She seemed rather sweet, though I could still see some Grayson in her. I left when she had to go get the baby down for a nap, but not before I pretended to ooh and ahh over my "nephew". Jack seemed to understand how awkward it was for me, as he quickly reminded me of a fake thing I had to attend to, something I was grateful for as I slipped out of the Stowaway and headed back to the South Fork, only to run into another Grayson.

"Genevieve," I turned my head as I entered the lobby, my stomach dropping as I spotted Daniel coming towards me.

"It's Daniel, right?" I asked, extending my hand as Daniel offered his.

"Right, Daniel Grayson," I forced a smile, one I used for business meetings and awkward Christmas parties. A smile Daniel must have been used to, as it didn't seem to deter him at all. "I thought your business was based in Chicago," I gave a nod, but knew it was time for my new excuse for why I was in town.

"We are, but we're looking to expand our corporation out east. We just opened a branch in Los Angeles, so the next logical step is New York." Which was sort of true, we had recently opened a large branch in Los Angeles, but we didn't technically have plans to expand out East just yet. Truthfully, we avoided expanding out East. My grandfather hadn't wanted to, especially not after what happened with my father. He'd been afraid that by entering the media world out East after that, he'd be forced to write stories about my father that he didn't want to believe. After it had all settled down, he still didn't wish to go beyond the Midwest, finding the atmosphere uninviting. When I had taken over, I'd used social media and my technology skills to break into the West Coast and online world. New York was probably our next conquest, but I wasn't ready for battle just yet. Probably wouldn't be for a few more years, but it still made for a good reason to be out in New York.

"Are you looking to invest in any publications?" I gave a slight tilt of my head, wondering exactly why he was asking. Grayson Global never had a media aspect, though that wasn't for lack of trying. Two years after I took over Ainsley Media Corporation, Grayson Global had made an offer to invest, clearly forgetting why it was that Ainsley didn't do business with Grayson anything. I had turned them down flat, though they had been rather persistent, at least until Daniel took the helm, making me very uncertain as to where this was going.

"I'm afraid I can't say, I prefer to keep things quiet until the board approves decisions." Or rather I didn't want to get roped into something, which was why I always had the excuse of the board needing to approve something, even though I just had to make a decision and stick to it for a deal to be sealed.

"A good strategy. I just started working for Voulez," I crossed my arms, trying to understand that.

"Voulez is based in France I thought," I said, knowing I had met Pascal, the director, at multiple media parties when we were expanding into Europe a few years back. He was technically some of our biggest competition in Europe, making me rather confused as to how Daniel was working for them while still living in the Hamptons.

"The French version is, but his daughter has decided to start an American version here," I raised an eyebrow, surprise clearly on my face.

"Never thought Pascal would allow an American version," Or rather when I'd last talked to him, that wasn't in his plans. If it was, he had promised I'd be the first to know, as cracking the American market was much easier when you had an American media mogul pulling strings.

"His daughter Margaux is starting it," That explained a lot.

"And you are looking for investors," I said, trying to understand exactly why he was talking to me, and whether he knew how the Ainsley Media Corporation worked. We didn't invest, we usually bought out, preferring to keep the profits for ourselves and make sure our brand didn't become controversial. That was how my grandfather kept us successful in a time when the media was sometimes hard to trust, and how I continued to run the business.

"Yes, and Ainsley Media Corporation as an investor would get us places," I had to give it to Daniel, he had some nerve to him. Most new publications never asked Ainsley for money, preferring to come to us after they were well established and were ready to be bought out. Rarely did we have magazines come to us before a first issue was even out.

"I'm sure it would." I said, knowing the power of the Ainsley name in the media world. It was the same power the LeMarchal family name had in the European media market. "However, Pascal and I are on relatively good terms, and I'd hate to endanger that by agreeing to an investment with his daughter without his consent. So, I'll tell you what," I said, realizing this might be a way to get in a little revenge of my own. "I'm here for a few weeks, scouting out some locations and meeting with some other media outlets we might use to expand our market. If you are really interested in having Ainsley invest, I'll talk to Pascal tonight. If he's okay with it, then I will call you about having a meeting sometime," I offered, knowing that I had no meetings set up, but could get some rolling if I needed to. The thing about being a media corporation CEO was, there was always someone in the media world willing to meet with you.

"That sounds fantastic. Here's my card," Daniel said, pulling a card out from his suit pocket. "Feel free to call anytime." I looked down at the card in my hand before slipping it into my jeans pocket.

"I will. And if I can't get a hold of you on this number, I'll just call Emily. I'm assuming she knows how to get a hold of you if necessary?" I asked, idly glancing at the bags he had with him. From the looks of it, he was on the outs with my sister, something I was sure I needed to discuss with her given that last I saw the two of them, she'd been playing happy fiancée to him.

"She does," Daniel said in a tone that sounded curt, almost like he wanted to change the subject.

"Then I suppose I'll be talking to you later," I said, moving past him towards my room, turning to watch as he pulled his bags away. So things really weren't as they seemed, making me wonder if he was the one putting her in danger.


	9. Chapter 9

Arriving back in my room, I presumed I'd be in for the night. I was preparing to take a shower and pick a place to order in for dinner when my phone began buzzing. I pulled it out, confused by the unfamiliar number that flashed across the screen, one that bore an area code I wasn't entirely familiar with. I almost didn't answer, until I realized that it might be the man from the party calling me, perhaps ready to give me more information that could help my sister.

"Genevieve Ramston," I answered, the hand not holding the phone grabbing a pen, ready to jot down anything I heard. I hadn't been ready to do that at four in the morning, but in the middle of the afternoon, my head was clearer, and I was ready to get as much information as I could from the mysterious mail.

"How do you feel about art shows?" A female voice asked, one I realized after a beat was Amanda's.

"How did you get my number?" I asked, surprised she had it at all. I had never offered it to her, and she never seemed to express any interest in having it.

"I asked Nolan for it, figured if you were sticking around I should have a way to contact you." That statement made me happy for some reason, the idea of my sister having my phone number a major step in my mind towards a somewhat normal relationship. As normal as a relationship with a girl who is your sister, pretending not to be your sister in order to get revenge on the people that betrayed your father could be, I guessed.

"Good idea. Umm, I've never been much of a collector. Alex is usually the one who attends art shows when necessary," Or rather Alex was the one who actually understood what was going on at art shows. Where we had both attended a liberal arts college, I had never paid attention in my art-focused classes the way Alex had. That, and Alex's mother had been a collector making him better at understanding the art world than I was. As it was, my only contribution art wise to the duplex we lived in had been a print of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night', a painting that had always fascinated me for some reason. That print currently hung in Jeremiah's room, as the interior designer my mother had gifted us as a wedding present stated that a print of Starry Night did not belong in any major room of a serious CEO and lawyer's home.

"Victoria Grayson is hosting a show tonight," I glanced at the bathroom door, realizing I wasn't going to get a relaxing night in.

"You want me to attend?" I asked, already knowing the answer was yes. My sister clearly wasn't calling just to see how I was doing.

"I think having you there would create some pressure on Victoria. Already, Conrad is cracking, I think Victoria needs to crack a little too," I ran a hand through my hair, trying to figure out exactly how I was going to get the Grayson matriarch to crack.

"Then a hammer I shall take. Will you be there?" I asked, heading towards the suitcase I had packed, trying to decide what I was going to wear. I knew enough about the Hamptons to know that recycling an outfit wasn't allowed, but I wasn't sure what art show attire in the Hampton's even consisted of.

"Yes. I need to see Daniel," She responded, which triggered a reminder in my mind.

"I saw him earlier." My sister didn't say anything, and the pause made me think she was waiting for me to continue. "He's at the South Fork, ran into him in the lobby." I said, feeling like I needed to explain myself.

"What did he want?" The tone I recognized immediately as one of curiosity, a far cry from the concerned tone most girls had when told their fiancé's were staying at a hotel rather than with them, I would know I'd heard it in my own voice everytime Alex and I had a fight.

"He wants Ainsley to invest in Voulez," I heard Amanda take in a breath at that, clearly surprised.

"Are you going to?" I shrugged before realizing Amanda couldn't see the motion.

"Don't know. It's not in our usual practice to invest. Plus, Pascal and I have an interesting relationship, one that requires me to ask his permission before I even dare attempt to invest." I explained. I wasn't even sure if I planned to call Pascal, or just let Daniel keep asking at this point.

"Ask Pascal to let you invest. If I'm going to take down the Grayson's, I need to have a way to pull the plug on Daniel's latest interest," I smiled, the sound of taking down the Grayson's just sounded so nice, no wonder my sister was so into it.

"As you wish. In the meantime, I need to find something to wear to the gallery opening tonight. Tell me, is a pant suit allowed at these kinds of things?" I could sense Amanda rolling her eyes, or maybe just hear it in her response.

"No. You'll need a dress, or at least a skirt." I gave out at annoyed huff as I stared at my suitcase. The bandage dress had been my only real dress, everything else being a mix of jeans, nice tops, and a few black pant combinations.

"Then I need to go shopping." I said, shutting my suitcase and grabbing my purse from where I had set it earlier. From my calculations, I had a few hours to find some new outfits, especially if I was going to be here longer than a week.


	10. Chapter 10

The gallery was practically packed when I arrived. I didn't think I'd seen so many people at a gallery before, but I guessed that was because I rarely attended art galleries, let alone ones hosting a show to sell pieces. Most of the gallery parties I attended were galas, made to bring in donations for a dying art program at one school or another. They were never places for the rich to buy pieces of art to hang in their living rooms, a sign of how rich they were. If I missed anything about Chicago, it was that.

I slipped through the crowd, glad that the woman at the clothing store I found had suggested white flats to go with the dark teal one shouldered dress, a dress that hit just below my knees and moved with me. The woman had called it Grecian style, but all I had seen was the graceful movements it created when I walked. With my hair down in soft curls, I felt more like I belonged in the Hamptons then Chicago.

I stared at an art piece that seemed to stand out from the rest to me, perhaps because no one was standing by it as I approached. I looked the piece over, trying to decide how it made me feel when a voice behind me caught my attention.

"Lovely piece isn't it?" I turned, forcing out a smile at the sight of Victoria Grayson.

In truth, it looked as though the woman hadn't aged a day since the last time I saw her. Maybe she had another line or two near her eyes, but mostly she looked the exact same as the day I had last seen her standing on the porch as my sister and I were dragged from our home, our lives. Her eyes still seemed to hold the same coldness I remembered seeing as a child, something my father had urged me to see past. He had told me of the affair long before Amanda found out, as unlike my sister, I was aware of how the world of grown ups worked for the most part. I had met her near the beginning of the relationship, and even then sensed something was off with the woman. My father had claimed I was just nervous about someone possibly taking my mother's place. I had let him think that, not wanting to make him unhappy, but looking at Victoria now, I wished I had pushed my point just a little bit further.

"It is," I said finally, knowing that just standing and staring at Victoria Grayson wasn't going to get me anywhere. "I'm surprised it's being sold," I said, knowing that it likely once belonged to Victoria. Her being broke and being here, clearly meant she was trying to sell these pieces off for some money, Amanda didn't have to tell me that.

"Well, sometimes you have to get rid of the old to make way for the new," Victoria responded, and I gave a small nod. She really was the same as ever, not willing to let anything past her, or an insult hit her, at least not without a way to reflect it. "So, are you interested in buying it?" I glanced at the piece again, my eyes drifting towards the price tag. The amount of zeros at the end of the number was a little staggering, especially when Alex and I had agreed after our original decorating spree that we would only buy new pieces together, or if the money went to a very good cause, and I was certain he wouldn't think Victoria Grayson was a good cause.

"I'm not sure. Truthfully, I'm looking for a piece for my daughter's room. She's turning five soon, and while I hate to admit it, she's growing out of the nursery rhyme theme we have in her room now," That was true, though the art portion was. Part of the reason Marisol was with my grandparents was so we could redecorate her room into something she could grow up with. The current theme had been there for her nursery, and now that she was going to be entering school Alex and I had thought it time to turn her room into something a little more mature. Not hot pink teen, but more fairy tale or Parisian theme she wouldn't want changed when she turned twelve.

"I can understand growing children. My own seem to be turning into adults before my eyes," I fought the urge to mutter something derisive as I turned back to the piece, giving it my full attention. "What's your daughter like? That might help me find you a good piece for her collection," Children and art collections, that thought made me want to laugh. My daughter was lucky to have a collection of stuffed animals at her age, she didn't need an art collection.

"She's a free spirit," I said, knowing that was half the reason Alex and I had yet to settle on a theme for her room. I thought Marisol might prefer nature over princess, but Alex firmly thought his princess deserved a room suited for a princess.

"Sounds like my daughter," Victoria responded, and I was tempted to ask if she was even speaking to her daughter when I spotted Charlotte. "Speaking of my daughter. Charlotte, I'm so glad you came," Victoria said, giving Charlotte a hug before turning her attention to me.

"I was just helping," Victoria frowned, clearly realizing she didn't have my name, something Charlotte seemed to realize as well as she started speaking.

"We've met. Mom, this is Genevieve Ramston," Victoria didn't looked phased by that information, just a little confused as to how Charlotte knew that. "She's Amanda's older sister," That got a reaction, as Victoria looked at me, and seemed to pale slightly.

"It's lovely to see you again, Victoria," I said, my eyes remaining locked on Victoria. I knew she was thinking of the last time we met, of that night she came in to give her security guy the computer. The night Amanda and I were hiding in the kitchen, up past our bedtimes wanting ice cream when we heard her come in. We'd both watched her go upstairs with my oblivious father, and that was something I never got to tell the police because of my father, but something I had never forgotten.

"Genevieve," Victoria said after a moment, evidently trying to process this new revelation. "I thought you were in Europe," A genuine smile came across my face at that statement.

"I was, at least until I turned eighteen and my mother no longer feared losing custody of me. Then I came back to the States, went to college, got married, had a family, and decided to come see what my little sister was doing before she died, and hopefully get to connect with the sister I never got a chance to meet," I said, giving Charlotte a smile before looking back at Victoria. "I've spent the last few years in Chicago, but my business now finds me spending some time in New York." I said as Charlotte looped her arm through mine.

"Isn't that great? I get to spend time with my sister," Victoria looked as though she clearly didn't find this idea great, but I knew she wouldn't voice that.

"I see you two found each other," Amanda's voice said, causing me to turn my head to see my sister. She clearly knew how to dress for these things, and I wondered if I'd be able to get the name of where she shopped as she smiled at Victoria. "I mentioned to Genevieve when Amanda died that Charlotte was arranging the funeral, I had hoped that they might reconnect. Amanda once mentioned to me that she regretted everything that happened between her and Genevieve, thought she'd regret Charlotte and Genevieve not meeting too," I wondered if Amanda really did regret everything that happened as I focused my attention on Victoria, who seemed to be getting more upset at everything going on in front of her.

"For all you know, Genevieve isn't really a Clarke," Victoria said finally, causing me to make a half surprised, half annoyed face.

"I'm sorry?" I said, shocked anyone would question that, especially Victoria.

"Last anyone saw, David's oldest disappeared." I had half a mind to yell at Victoria right then and there, but knew that would get me nowhere.

"And what proof would you like?" I asked, wandering where Victoria was even going with this.

"I'm just saying, after the Eli mess, you have to be careful who you trust, Charlotte," I looked at Charlotte, who seemed to be getting upset at her mother's words.

"I'm a Clarke, I can assure you of that. But if you need proof," I said, rooting through my clutch for the photo I always kept in my wallet. The photo of me with my father the summer of the arrest, the last photo I had of just the two of us. It had been taken at a Mets game by my mother, who had used the game as a meeting place to drop me off with my father for the summer as she had tickets she needed to use, and thought it might be a good bonding experience. Amanda had been there, but she wasn't in the photo I was pulling out, one that clearly showed my father and I. It was the only copy of the photo, something I firmly planned on making clear if Victoria tried to claim I got it offline. "This was taken when I was twelve," I said, knowing that I had aged slightly, but the girl in the photo was clearly me. Charlotte looked at the photo closely, while Victoria looked a little dismissive. Amanda didn't even look, her eyes trained on Victoria.

"That could be from,-" I cut Victoria off.

"The internet? I doubt it. That's the only copy of that photo. My mother took it," I said as Charlotte took the photo from me.

"Where was this taken?" She asked, clearly in awe to see a picture of my father looking so happy with his daughter.

"Mets game, you can see Amanda's arm in the background," I said, pointing to the little arm that was sitting on the armrest next to me. That got Amanda to look, and I almost thought I saw a hint of sadness in her eye, though that quickly disappeared as Charlotte looked at her mother.

"Why do you want to take my only family away? You have a new child, let me have my family," Charlotte said, starting to pull at my arm, the photo still in her other hand. "Come on, you don't need to defend yourself to her. All she does is want to keep me caged," I shot a final glance over my shoulder at Victoria and Amanda, catching my sister's look of approval as I turned back towards Charlotte, not wanting to trip as she dragged me towards the door.

"You want to get some dinner? I could use some carbs after that," I offered, knowing I couldn't offer a kid a drink, if she was a kid. I realized I didn't even know how old my sister was, probably not old enough to drink, the trial hadn't been that long ago.

"Sure, carbs sound good," Charlotte said, and in that moment, I could see the Clarke in her. The way she stood up for herself, the way she fought for her family, it was just like my father, and just like me.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey everyone! Finally watched Sunday's episode of Revenge and can I just say, Wow! More than I was expecting. This chapter starts on that episode! Hope you all enjoy! Please keep the reviews coming, they make me really happy! Enjoy! **

Carbo loading with Charlotte had been great fun, and I'd learned a lot about the girl. I was surprised to learn she had recently spent some time in Europe, and found it nice to share memories of Europe together, though I was careful to keep my memories in check knowing much of my time in Europe had been forced by my mother's fear of losing me. It had made much of my time bittersweet, making it easier to hear Charlotte's memories rather than my own. However, I couldn't help but find it a little ironic that both of us had ended up in Europe due to unfortunate family circumstances at home.

I would never admit it aloud, but hearing Charlotte's confession of losing Declan's child after the second basket of warm bread had broken my own heart. I had two beautiful children with the man I loved, and the thought of losing them before I got the chance to meet them, it was a sad thought. It was sadder for me to think of Charlotte going through it before she even went to college. But it didn't make up for the lack of hardships she experienced as a Clarke, only made me wonder if perhaps the name was cursed.

The next morning found me awakening to the sound of my phone buzzing on my nightstand. I reached towards it instinctively, almost forgetting where I was as I answered.

"Hello?" I answered, the sun peeking through the curtains and lack of warm body beside me making me think I was at home while Alex was on business, not in the Hamptons while my husband slept in our Chicago home without me. I was expecting his rich voice on the other line, as he made a habit of calling to say good morning when he went out of town. But instead, the voice on the other end was female, and sounded rather confused.

"Genevieve?" I frowned, taking in my surroundings for the first time. I realized I wasn't in Chicago, and I quickly sat up, now recognizing the voice.

"Amanda," I said, surprised my sister was calling me again. I thought the last phone call would be the last, but instead she was calling me again. It was starting to feel like a real relationship.

"It's Emily," My sister corrected, "And I was wondering if you wanted to go wedding shopping," I nearly dropped the phone at that question. Wedding shopping? Sisters did that, but Amanda had made it clear she didn't want that from me, so why was she asking?

"What?" I managed to get out. "I thought you didn't want me here, or doing sisterly stuff with you," I said, starting to wonder if I was dreaming. But the moving alarm clock besides me said that wasn't the case, and neither did the slight pinch I gave myself.

"I don't. But you got Victoria upset last night, and I need to continue that. When I introduced you, I said we had been on a board together, and I think you and I could manage to throw a fake past friendship into how we know one another. Plus, I could say that I'm having you as a bridesmaid in place of Amanda." I tried to ignore the sinking feeling inside. I knew it was foolish, but I had hoped she might want me in the wedding because I was her sister, not because I was a pawn. But, as I had told myself before, a pawn was better than nothing.

"Okay, sure. Where do you want me to meet you?" I asked, throwing the blankets off of myself, watching as they landed on the shopping bags I had full of clothes. I had realized while looking for a dress for the gallery dinner that I needed more stuff to fit in, and now there was a sizeable pile near my bed filled with Hamptons appropriate attire. And it had only cost me, well I preferred not to think what it cost me, just grateful that my separate savings account for a rainy day had a sizeable amount of money in it that Alex didn't know about.

"I'll text you the address. See you soon," With that, the phone clicked in my ear and I was left to get up and rifle through the bags for something appropriate to wear, though I wasn't sure what that was. In Chicago, wedding shopping was usually done in a shirt and a pair of jeans, or at least my wedding dress shopping had been done in that.

As I picked out a cute lacy dress to wear, I thought back to my wedding dress shopping. I had gone with my mother, Alex's mother, and Alex's older sister. I remember wishing the entire time that my sister was there, and more than that my father. He had died two years prior to me getting married, and it was still hard to process as I was shoved into one dress then another, looking for the one that made me feel beautiful. I had ended up finding it on the way out of the store, and remember as I stared at myself in the mirror, being excited for Alex to see me in the dress. Yet, as I pulled my hair into a loose updo, I couldn't help but wonder if Amanda was going to be thinking the same thing about Daniel when she tried on her dress.


	12. Chapter 12

I arrived at the address and followed the voices to the back, doing my best to keep my cool as I spotted Daniel with Victoria and a male I didn't know. Amanda didn't seem to be anywhere in sight, and Victoria looked annoyed as she addressed me.

"Genevieve, I thought after last night you wouldn't be coming around again," I flashed Victoria a smile as Daniel turned to look at me.

"Emily called me, said if I was going to be in town a while that maybe I could be in her wedding party. She and I were friends for a while, and being Amanda's other sister, she thought it might be nice for me to be in the wedding," I said, glancing at the new male. I didn't recognize him, and he seemed to be studying me.

"Yes, I thought another bridesmaid might be nice," Came Amanda's voice from behind me, breaking my gaze at the new male as I turned to look at my sister, or more specifically the body language between her and Daniel. It was tense, I knew that, and I couldn't help but wonder what all I had missed. I also couldn't help but imagine my father standing beside me, remarking at how this wasn't what he wanted at all. He wanted his little girl happy, and here she was in a relationship that was clearly not going anywhere. I banished the thought from my mind as I watched Daniel begin to walk away and my sister ask to speak to him, as he mentioned being busy, I cleared my throat.

"I hope you aren't too busy to talk tonight. I talked with Pascal last night, he approved me investing," I said, watching as Daniel's face lit up.

"That's fantastic. We're having a party for the launch tonight, you should come. Pascal is going to be there," I bit my tongue, knowing full well that wasn't true.

I had indeed called Pascal, and he'd made it quite clear he didn't approve of his daughter's venture into American media. He had gotten her first issue and ripped it apart on the phone with me, asking why his daughter felt a need to go into business at all. In truth, I knew that Pascal wasn't one to encourage his daughter's dreams, or any woman's dreams for that matter. When I had first met Pascal, I had been twenty-three, and writer for one of my grandfather's European magazines that was in direct competition with Voulez. I had been at a party to interview some aspiring designer when Pascal had approached in the midst of my interview, making remarks about how women had no place in media.

I had been offended at the statement, and retorted quickly with multiple publications that were successfully run by women, as well as failing publications run by men, including one run by his business partner in Spain. Pascal had looked both frustrated and impressed by my come back, and had offered me a position at Voulez, one I turned down with a remark that Voulez wasn't known for promoting women, a tragedy in my mind. He had remarked that I was missing out, as I could make history.

The next time I had met Pascal had been after I became editor of the publication two years later. He had come up to me, remarking that it was nice to see I knew how to swim with the sharks. I had told him that one day, I'd be the killer whale in the bunch, and that my first target would be him if he wasn't careful. He'd only laughed, telling me that I had something many women lacked, and he was sure I'd make it someday. In fact, he had been the first to call after I became CEO, and had sent flowers my first official day on the job. Since then, he had told me more than once that I was one of the few women he respected, and I knew from my phone call with him that it remained a true statement.

"Then I'll certainly have to make an appearance. Pascal wouldn't let me live it down otherwise," I said, aware that Pascal and I often ended up at the same parties, and when we didn't we always had to let the other one know. The media world might be a shark eat shark environment, but that didn't keep the powerful from having some kind of bond with one another. Pascal and I had one, even if it was forged on a mix of resentment, annoyance, and respect.

"Wonderful. I'll be going, Patrick," Daniel said, motioning to the new male. I looked him over, wondering who he was. Clearly, he was of some importance, but I didn't know what, just that I would need to find out if I was going to be sticking around.

"Shall we go?" Amanda asked, causing me to turn to see her standing next to Victoria. I had evidently missed something I as gave a nod, motioning for her to lead the way. Amanda moved, and as she did, I saw Victoria look me over in a way that implied she was suspicious of this entire venture. And beyond that, I almost felt like I saw a twinge of fear, and wondered if Amanda was right about Victoria cracking, as it certainly seemed she wasn't happy to see me around. And if I had to be honest, it was nice to know she was finally starting to crack under the pressure.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey! Glad to see that everyone is enjoying the story so far! I'm hoping in these chapters for the episode Control that you'll get to see what Genevieve's life and business is like! Please keep reading and reviewing! **

Standing in front of the dressing room mirror, I couldn't help but wonder when fashion had become so strange. Sure, my mother was considered a premiere fashion blogger, and had formerly been on of the most sought after fashion editors, but that didn't mean I knew a thing about fashion. The outfits in my closet, most people probably considered boring. My own secretary often remarked that I could afford to expand my wardrobe beyond the usual black skirt or black pants with a solid color blouse and occasional fitted jacket, a style I rarely strayed from. I had a belief that if it worked, you shouldn't mess with it. That was why I constantly resisted my mother's efforts to take me shopping for a new wardrobe, and why I only went shopping for new clothes when one of my usual outfits got a stain or stopped fitting for one reason or another. Alex told me when we were dating that my lack of fashion sense was part of the reason he loved me, because while other girls struggled to find an outfit for twenty minutes, I only struggled to pick a place to eat for twenty minutes. I had never been one to care much for what I wore, and standing in the mirror as a woman bustled around me checking the fit, I was reminded of that.

"Are you sure this isn't too much skin?" I asked, motioning to the cut of the dress. It had a cut the woman had called sweetheart, and was strapless. I vaguely remembered trying on a dress with the same cut when I had gone wedding dress shopping, and remembered not liking that cut for a reason, which I was remembering now as I saw how much was revealed up top.

"No, go show," The woman said, pushing me towards the area where everyone was. I picked up the floor length dress as I went, it's rich black fabric soft in my hands as I entered, listening as Victoria asked if Charlotte's dress was a little much.

"I like it," I said, looking over my younger sister's dress. The odd cut was nice on her, and youthful. My own mother would have loved the dress, while the stretch marks from my second pregnancy made wearing a dress like that rather improbable.

"And I like that dress on you," Charlotte said, coming towards me as Victoria turned to view me, her eyes sweeping me up and down in clear disdain. It was evident she didn't like me or the dress, and the feeling was mutual. The dress she was wearing made me think of a tulle factory explosion, the color better suited for a funeral than a wedding. Though, wearing a black dress I guess I shouldn't be talking.

"Thank you, I'm a fan of simple." I said, knowing this dress was as simple as I had seen. The rich black fabric was loose on the bottom, though tight around my abdomen and chest. Even if it did show more up top than I wanted it, it still looked classic, and I knew a string of pearls would make the dress look nice. Amanda seemed to approve as she looked me and Charlotte over.

"I figured that because they are the only two bridesmaids, they could wear what they wanted." Amanda explained, something I understood. Alex's sister and my best friend / former roommate had been my only bridesmaids and both had been allowed to chose their dresses so long as they were the same emerald green color.

"I hope this laissez faire attitude doesn't carry over to your marriage," Victoria retorted and I pressed my lips together a moment, waiting for Emily to respond before I did. Except, when she didn't respond fast enough I cut in.

"My bridesmaids wore dresses of their choice, and it hasn't effected my marriage at all. Alex and I are still quite happy together," I said, watching as Amanda gave me a brief smile before explaining to Victoria about her relationship with Daniel, a conversation I didn't fully catch as Charlotte caught my attention.

"I forgot to ask you about your husband. Is he going to come to the wedding?" A question I knew I'd need to figure out. Last I had talked to Alex, he had still seemed both confused and concerned that I was in the Hamptons, and hadn't been happy to hear that I wasn't sure on my return date. I didn't know how to ask him out to the Hamptons, but I knew I'd probably have to invite him out eventually.

"Maybe. Depends on how the trial is going." I responded, knowing that technically Alex wasn't in the middle of any trials, but that didn't mean one couldn't come up. That was what happened when you married a lawyer, sometimes they got busy with trials, and it made for a great excuse.

"Oh. Well I'd love to meet him one day, as well as your adorable kids." Charlotte said, clearly trying to ignore the argument, or rather subtle argument, going on between her mother and future sister in law.

"I'm sure you'll get to meet them one day," I said, before watching as Victoria pushed Amanda out, exclaiming that she wanted to see her rehearsal dress.

"Here, I'll go with you. I think I left my phone anyway," I said, following Amanda towards the back, wanting out of the room and a moment alone with her.

"Charlotte is asking about Alex," I said as the woman doing the fitting left to grab the dress, preferring to have the conversation in private.

"So?" Amanda asked, and I knew she wasn't understanding how this was a problem.

"She wants to know if he's coming to the wedding." I said, watching my sister's face. She didn't seem to be understanding why this was a bad thing. "He doesn't know why I'm really here," That seemed to get something to click in Amanda's head.

"Why does he think you are here?" She asked, probably wondering what excuse I came up with to get out of Chicago, especially since going to save my sister wasn't really a viable option. In Alex's mind, my sister was dead. He'd seen the story on the news and told me, and I hadn't known how to tell him that the girl on the news wasn't my sister, so I'd just kept quiet and accepted his sympathy. Going back and saying my sister was actually alive, that wasn't really an option.

"He thinks I'm settling some things with my father's account. I told him that with NolCorp going under I had to go deal with some financial stuff. He thinks I'm dealing with that, and I may have told him I'm trying to make amends with Amanda's memory. Stuff like that. But if I ask him to come out for a wedding, he's going to get suspicious." I explained. Alex didn't understand me coming out for financial stuff and making amends in the first place. Specifically he thought the financial stuff should be left to our advisors, and making amends with the memory, he told me straight out that he thought I hadn't seen her in a long time so I shouldn't need to make amends. It had almost led to a fight, one that I had gotten out of by saying that coming here had brought up more memories than I was expecting. Now he was just giving me space, and I knew asking him to attend a wedding would not fit a pattern of financial dealings and making amends with memories.

"Tell him you befriended Charlotte," I winced slightly.

"I would, but after Charlotte changed her name, I went on a rant. He thinks I'm avoiding her at all costs. Can't convince him otherwise." Amanda didn't look convinced.

"I'm sure you can convince him that you started a relationship with your sister," Amanda responded as the woman came in holding the dress.

"You haven't met Alex," I retorted, getting up as my phone started going off on the chair nearby, my secretaries name flashing across the screen. "I have to take this, and probably go. I'll see you at the party tonight," I said, giving my sister a quick kiss on the cheek before she could move.

I headed out to the main area, pausing as I heard Victoria tell Charlotte that Emily was in love with Jack. For some reason, that made my heart flutter with happiness. Amanda and Jack, the couple that was always meant to be. Yet, looking at the pair, I knew it was a couple that was doomed. My sister wasn't going to follow her heart, she'd follow her revenge. And Jack, well Jack was someone damaged by her schemes who I hated to admit deserved better. But in my dream world for my sister, she'd be with Jack.

"I hate to interrupt," I said as Charlotte told her mother about seeing Emily at the bar a lot. Both turned to look at me. "But I have to go. My secretary is faxing an investment contract over for Voulez and I need to bring it over there so we can get the ball rolling." I said, giving Charlotte a quick hug as she stood up.

"I'll see you both tonight." I said, giving Victoria a cold look before I headed towards another dressing room to get out of the dress, glad that I could get under the woman's skin. It was a nice feeling, but one I couldn't help but feel guilty about as I thought of my father. Even in the end, he'd stood up for Victoria, and some part of me wondered how he'd feel about me helping Amanda in her scheme against the woman.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Okay, I know this is a long chapter, but I wanted everyone to get the sense of how Genevieve is in business. She's a shark, and I really wanted that to come out. Hope you enjoy! Next chapter starts at the party! **

Stepping into the Voulez office, I found myself flashing back to the magazine office I used to write at. The offices, the pictures pinned to cork boards, it was all the exact same. Except instead of seeing my cubicle mate Isabelle come out and ask if I had finally settled on a way to write about the stuck up model I had been sent to interview in a way that made her come across as human, I saw a man rush out looking a little panicked as he tried to get ready for the party.

I quickly side-stepped him, knowing better than to get in any intern or journalists way, watching as he scurried off towards an open area things were being set up in, while I followed the source of the busy workers to Margaux and Daniel, standing quietly and observing the article they were looking at. My sister's smiling face with Daniel almost made me ill, though not as much as their conversation was making me. Daniel talking about how he didn't know much about my sister's childhood, it made me want to vomit and scream that was his family's fault. Yet I knew I couldn't do that, by doing that, I'd be undoing all the work that Amanda had done. Instead, I bit my tongue as Margaux said that clearly Daniel had something to learn about my sister.

I glanced at the phone in my hands, sending a quick text to Amanda about what I just heard before knocking on the wall nearby.

"Knock, knock," I said, giving the pair my best impressed look. "The place looks great," I said, watching as Margaux looked to Daniel in confusion. Apparently, Daniel had forgotten to fill in Margaux as to my new position with them, if I could call it that.

"Genevieve," Margaux said, her voice slow and confused, while I was astonished she remembered who I was. The last time I had seen Margaux, I think had been at a wedding a few years back for an advertising executive that both Voulez and Ainsley Media used on a regular basis. She had attended as her father's date, while I had attended with Alex. I hadn't spoken with her much, but I had evidently made an impression for her to remember my name. "What are you doing here?"

I glanced at Daniel, suggesting that he needed to explain, as I didn't think it was my place to. He had come to me to invest, I hadn't planned on investing otherwise.

"Margaux, Genevieve has agreed to be an investor," Margaux looked wary, and I could understand why. Pascal had probably taught her to be cautious with other media companies, or his personality and business had made her cautious of the rest of us, it was hard to tell. But I knew she was smart to be cautious, the media world was full of sharks ready to destroy any competition and she was starting a competing magazine.

"You have?" Margaux asked looking at me. I held up the contract I had picked up from the inn, one detailing what exactly an investment with Ainsley Media Corporation looked like. It wasn't as simple as a check with us, it was a complete business deal with quarterly meetings, full disclosure, and a right to pull the investment at any breach of the extensive contract. Every investment Ainsley made had a contract, and this would be no different. The only difference was a clause I had our lawyers throw in, one stating that if the company heads began to show any lack in morals outside of the Ainsley Media Corporation ethics policy, then Ainsley had the right to abandon ship with no questions asked. It was a different policy than the other companies had, as we never really cared what the board of directors or editors did so long as there was money coming in, but with Daniel Grayson, I wanted an escape clause. More than that, I knew I needed one.

"I have," I said, tapping the contract lightly. "Your father was happy to hear I was interested, said it was a great idea," That was a lie. Pascal told me I was crazy for thinking this was a good idea, but that he'd let me invest my own money if I wanted to. He didn't have a problem with it, just a problem with his daughter deciding to start the magazine in an environment she didn't understand. His exact words had been something along the line of; she's out of her league and isn't even playing the same ball game as everyone else. I hadn't been exactly sure as he had been speaking fast and injecting some French words I wasn't sure I was translating right given that they didn't seem to fit in with the conversation. Then again, knowing Pascal, he might have been talking to someone else while on the phone with me, so those words could have been directed at someone else, it was hard to say. All I knew was, Pascal had approved me investing, though at my own risk.

However, the words great idea seemed to have Margaux very upset as she looked at Daniel. "You didn't tell me about this," I glanced between the pair, starting to feel as though I had stepped into something I shouldn't have.

"Genevieve is the owner of a giant media firm. She owns dozens of magazines and online publications. Her investment shows people that there is confidence in what we are doing," I inwardly groaned. A dozen magazines, really? I owned at least six times that plus newspapers and online publications, and hearing Daniel speak made me feel very underestimated. It was annoying, and the whole reason that I hated being a girl sometimes. Any male Daniel would of oversold, but me he seemed to be underselling, which had me finally stepping in before Margaux could respond.

"If I could interject," I said, taking a step forward as I felt my phone go off in the bag nestled against my side. "I don't own dozens of magazines, I own hundreds of magazines, at least fifty online publications, and too many newspapers to count correctly. My family has turned Ainsley Media Corporation into a world-wide success from one newspaper in a small town near Chicago. We are currently worth north of a few billion, and continue to turn a profit every year in a time when people don't always trust the media. Every year, Ainsley continues to be people's first choice for all types of information. We were the first to crack into social media as a tool for news stories, and we are continually striving towards being the best source of information, any sort of information. You want to start a magazine that features both fashion and human interest right?" I didn't wait for a response before continuing. "Sounds like most magazines that are on the market here in the United States. You want to know how to be successful in the American market? You have to be different, you have to know how to cater to an audience that doesn't care about politics until their tax bill stops them from being able to afford the newest gadget on the market. You know how I know that? Because our best selling magazine, a magazine I started, targets that audience specifically. Now, I could easily walk away with my investment and watch you crash and burn, because believe me you will. The European market and American market are completely different, something your father at times fails to grasp." I said, watching as Margaux's face went from surprised to intrigued and Daniel began to look flustered. "But, I don't think you want that. I think you want to succeed and prove your father wrong about this being successful. My investment doesn't just come with a check, it comes with my guidance and experience. I have turned dozens of magazines with potential and naïve management around into successes and I can make you one of them." I said, knowing this speech was the same I gave a lot of men who thought letting a woman into their company was a bad idea. I had learned the speech from my mother, and perfected it with my father when I was a kid. He taught me to be confident and never let my gender hold me back. That was what Pascal likely saw in me, the fact that I wasn't about to let having boobs hold me back from doing what I wanted.

"So, shall I walk out this door? Or should we sit down and discuss a future of working together?" I asked, watching as a smile came to Margaux's face.

"Let's sit." Margaux said, ignoring Daniel as he started to protest.

"Wait, I thought this was just going to be a check," I took a seat across from Margaux, knowing she was the one to have this meeting with.

"Ainsley doesn't just hand out checks unless it's to charity. Do you wish to be a charity, Mr. Grayson? Or do you want to be a business?" I said, sliding the contract towards Margaux. "It's our standard investment contract. To hit the highlights," I said as Daniel snatched the contract up from the desk and started flipping through it. "You and I will have quarterly meetings either in person or as a phone conference. Our investment isn't a one-time deal; it's a stipend of sorts. Every issue, we give you a certain amount of money to use to get the issue out. You can use the money as you see fit, but all money spent has to have receipts given to one of Ainsley's accountants to make sure it's not frivolous spending. You'll also be appointed a personal liaison with Ainsley media who will be available to you at all times should you need advice." I said as Daniel started reading part of the contract out loud.

"Ainsley media reserves the right to pull articles as they see fit, and make cosmetic changes per their company policy," I waved my hand in dismissal.

"We only pull articles that might be deemed offensive such as articles supporting terrorist activities. We've never used that clause. And cosmetic changes are mostly color changes. You don't know how many people try to use blue and green to make things pop while forgetting that some people are color blind. A change of color can create a change of profits." I said looking at Margaux. "I only need your signature. You are the boss, Margaux. Are you going to make a decision or should I give you some time to confer with Daniel?" I asked. I watched as Margaux's eyes looked to Daniel, and I knew the answer.

"Fine. I'll be at the party tonight. If you wish to sign, just give me the contract tonight. If not, well that's your decision." I said, taking a business card from my bag, noticing the way it was flashing with a text from Amanda. I quickly shut my bag, giving the card to Margaux. "Call me if you have questions." I said, giving the pair both a smile before turning to leave. Already, I could sense I had put a crack in the relationship between Margaux and Daniel, and it was a great success in my mind. I just hoped Amanda would see it that way too.


	15. Chapter 15

The party was already in full swing when I arrived, my glittering gold dress with a black ribbon around the middle catching the lights as I moved. My eyes swept the room, settling on Daniel and Charlotte talking near the center of the room. I headed towards them, the black heels I decided to wear clicking with my every step. The heels had been a deliberate decision, as I only wore them when I wanted to appear more intimidating, their definitive click letting people know I was there. My grandfather used to walk with a cane into some meetings for that reason, finding the severe sound caused people to pay more attention. I rarely wore them unless I needed to catch people's attention, and tonight I knew I needed to catch the Grayson's attention.

"Charlotte, you look lovely," I remarked, looking her purple dress over. It truly was a beautiful dress, the unique design on the top something I knew my mother would adore. She always loved funky and unique cut outs, and I knew if she ever got around to designing a clothing line, she'd make it full of funky cut outs.

"So do you, the gold makes a statement," I smiled, my attention turning to Daniel as he spoke.

"A success statement I'm guessing?" I let out a small laugh.

"At this kind of party, flaunting your success is how you keep your business alive. It's why you threw the party after all, needed to flaunt the successful launch." I said, grabbing a glass of passing champagne as it went by. "Ainsley throws parties like these all the time for that reason. Parties you'd be invited to by the way," Okay, not technically true. Ainsley threw exactly four major parties every year, and that was it. I was in firm belief that people didn't need a party every month to want to work for Ainsley, nor was I interested in attending more than for parties a year. So, we held four parties, one being the annual Christmas party, the others being the Founders Party, a party that celebrated the anniversary of Ainsley Media Corporation's founding. The other being our Halloween party, something my grandfather had started as a way to allow parents to spend time with their kids at work, the day being more a bring your child to work and party day than a work day, and finally my favorite party, our annual Fourth of July party. It was always celebrated at a local sports stadium, watching whatever game was in town while eating junk food and spending time with the coworkers and their families in a more casual setting. The only parties we ever dressed up for was the Christmas party, and that was just because it was more a gala than a fun party. I didn't mind that, it was just a giant part that incorporated all the branches, while any other parties were specific to the branch.

"We'll see," Daniel said, excusing himself and leaving me to talk to Charlotte.

"You're investing?" I gave a small shrug.

"I made an offer. I know a good idea when I see one. So did our father," I said, thinking of NolCorp. Dad had seen the potential in that when no one else did. He'd had a good eye, one he had passed onto me. An eye I had also gotten from my grandfather and mother, as both knew good ideas when they saw them. However, I had my father's knack for taking a risk, something neither my mother nor grandfather ever did. If they did, I sometimes thought they'd of expanded the business more than it already had been when I took the helm.

"Amanda knew a good idea too," I took a sip of champagne to keep my composure, knowing she wasn't actually talking about my sister, but rather the imposter who had pretended to be my sister. That girl hadn't known a good idea when she saw one, last I heard she'd taken to the pole rather than using her name to start over. But who was I to judge? My sister was using a new name to just get revenge.

"It's genetic," I said, giving Charlotte a small pat on the back, looking around once again. "Where's Emily?" I asked, wanting to change the subject and find my sister.

"I'm not sure. I thought she'd be here by now," I nodded my agreement. Had whatever happened between Amanda and Daniel been that damaging that she wasn't coming? I thought she said she was coming, but her absence made me question that statement.

"I'm going to call her. Maybe she's had some car trouble," I said, wanting to believe that she was just running late. I quickly excused myself, pulling my phone from the black clutch I had brought with me, dialing Emily's number only to have it go straight to voicemail.

"Hey, it's Genevieve. I'm at the party, where are you? Call me back." I said, hanging up the phone before dialing Nolan's number only to reach his voicemail as well. "Nolan. Call me when you get the chance. I need some information." I said, hanging up the phone as a nearby journalist approached me, apparently recognizing me from a recent interview in Time. I gave her a smile, never one to turn away a journalist, though my mind was a million miles away, worrying about my seemingly absent sister.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Victoria's conversation with Margaux struck me with A LOT of ideas. Here's the beginning of a, erm, interesting relationship. Please continue to read and review! **

I had just finished talking with the journalist, giving her a statement about the party when I saw Margaux exiting her office, Victoria Grayson at her heels. My eyes watched her, wondering exactly what had transpired in that office. I knew any time Victoria Grayson was involved, it was never a good thing, and I was certain her talking to Margaux couldn't be a good thing. Worse yet, was the fact that my sister still wasn't around to help out the situation. I was getting ready to call her again when Margaux spotted me and made a beeline for me, surprising me, as I thought she'd go straight to Daniel after any talk with Victoria Grayson.

"How do you do it?" I frowned at the question, knowing that could be about a lot of different things. Many interviewers had asked me that question then had been forced to elaborate as I hadn't the slightest clue exactly what they were talking about. After a moment, Margaux seemed to realize that I was confused and began to elaborate. "Run a media company, deal with powerful men who would prefer you attend charity galas and go shopping," I felt my facial expression turn to one of understanding.

"By refusing to back down. These men, they thrive on power, on control. They are used to women being the people who answer the phones and take messages for them, or the people they come home to and talk to about shopping and charity. They think I'm the same, at least until I talk back, fight back, and refuse to be treated any differently. When an ad executive says to let the men talk, I tell him that money talks and my bank account holds more money than his so he needs to shut up and get out or let me talk. You just have to learn to hold more power, and wield it in a way that makes you respected and feared." I said, knowing I was basically summarizing the speech my mother once gave me about how to be in the business world. "And you have to learn to read people. When you can read the man you are talking to, you can manipulate them the same way they will try to manipulate you." I said, glancing at the magazine in Margaux's hand, recognizing Pascal's handwriting on the pages.

"You're father is a powerful man," I said, starting to realize where the question was coming from. Her father not coming, his words on the page, clearly she felt she was being controlled and wanted out.

"He is, and he doesn't believe I should be doing this. He only seems to respect one woman doing this, and that's you," I rolled my eyes.

"Your father lives in the past, it's why his magazines rarely sell to a younger generation." I pointed out, knowing that while Voulez was popular in France, it was starting to fade out for other magazines, something I blamed Pascal for. His sexist beliefs had begun seeping onto the pages long ago, something no one noticed until women starting becoming more equal and wanting more news and less fashion and make up advice. Personally, I believed fashion and make up advice were fine for teens and the woman just looking for an idle read, but it wasn't made to be read for life the way many of the publications that boasted Ainsley's name did.

"He still respects you," I shook my head, well aware of the fact he was pointing out.

"That's because he knows I'm not one he can mess with. Many other female editors have bowed down to him or been unsuccessful in their fights with him. I was the first to put up a fight and actually keep fighting even when I probably should have been knocked out in his eyes. Plus, it doesn't hurt to attack him with the fact that he hasn't always made the best choices. Not trusting you, that's one of them." I said, not seeing Daniel anywhere, making this the time to get the contract signed.

"He hated the magazine," Margaux said, holding up the magazine so I could see it more clearly. I took it from her, reading a few of Pascal's critique's before tossing it into a nearby trash can.

"He hates that it's not what he'd put out, but that's the point," I said, putting my hand on Margaux's shoulder. "Listen to me. Voulez, the French version, wouldn't work here. People would read one issue then never pick it up again unless their favorite celebrity was on the cover. Your version, your version will be one they look forward to, one they grab on their way to work or school and read cover to cover because it holds the information they want. Your father never seemed to understand the American market, it's why the two publications he tried here have floundered. Are there some things that could be changed? Yes. It's your first issue, if it was perfect I'd be offering you my job," Not really, but I knew how to butter someone up. "But with my help, it can be perfect, it can be a household name." Margaux seemed to be getting excited at the thought, and I let her go as she walked away quickly, returning with the signed contract.

"I'm in. I want to work with you," I took the contract, smiling at the large signature on the front page.

"And I want to work with you. This will be a wonderful magazine, mark my words," I said, knowing this was also a wonderful way to get under Daniel's skin. It was clear already he felt undermined by me, and I was more than ready to continue that feeling.

"More than that, I want you to mentor me," I glanced up in surprise at that. I thought the contract would be the end of her and I besides the usual meetings.

"Mentor you?" I asked, trying to understand how that would work. Had I sort of mentored female editors before? Sure, but it had been an informal arrangement and my way of making sure they knew how to stand up to men like Pascal. An actual arrangement, or rather being outright asked for the arrangement, that was completely new to me.

"Yes. Show me how to be a woman who can wield power and control these powerful men," I stared at Margaux, wondering if she was someone who could be taught how to control others, rather than be controlled. She'd been controlled her entire life by her father, and I knew that was sometimes hard to step out of. But at the same time, I had been controlled much of my life too. I had had been controlled by the trial, by my circumstances, by my mother, sometimes by my grandfather, yet I had risen above all of that. I had to believe that Margaux could too, and maybe I could get her into my corner to take down Daniel.

I pretended to think it over a moment, before giving Margaux a genuine smile. "Of course, I'll mentor you. With my help, you're going to take the media world by storm." I said, stepping back in surprise as Margaux gave me a quick hug before disappearing leaving me to gloat in my success alone.


	17. Chapter 17

Walking away from Marguax, I went in search of more champagne. A victory of a new contract despite Grayson's misgivings deserved champagne. I finally found some, though the celebration it brought was cut short as I finally spotted my sister. I was about to go talk to her, tell her the good news when I realized that she was standing across from Daniel. I paused, waiting for him to leave, only to hear the end of their conversation. He didn't want to marry her.

Part of me was relieved to hear those words. Maybe now she could end this insane engagement and actually follow her heart. But the hurt look in her eyes, that had my heart aching for my sister. This had obviously been part of her plan, and now that plan wasn't working.

Suddenly, I saw this all through my sister's eyes. She had it all planned out, every step, every betrayal. Her emotions were tied into succeeding, so a lack of success was a crushing blow for her. I could see that, and it broke my heart.

My mind flashed back to the night my father was arrested, the last time I had seen my sister. She was screaming for my father as the police pushed us into a cruiser together. I had grabbed onto her, holding her as she cried and screamed for my father. A police officer in the front of the cruiser tried to quiet us, promised we would be okay. I just glared at him until he stopped talking and left the vehicle, standing outside to make sure my sister and I didn't run away. My sister probably would have if given the chance, which was part of the reason I held her so tightly that night, promising her that I would watch out for her. I promised her a lot of things that night.

That night had been the last I saw her. When we arrived at the police station, we were immediately separated. My grandparents had been called by the police before the raid by my mother, who had been alerted that someone needed to come get me though not why. She'd also been told not to tell my father. My grandparents had taken me straight to their private jet, while they hadn't been able to get Amanda. Despite her being my sister, my grandparents didn't have legal anything over Amanda, and neither did my mother. My father being arrested had stripped him of custody, and my mother couldn't get back into the States fast enough to get Amanda signed over to her. Leading to that night being the last time I saw Amanda, her tear stained eyes the last thing I remembered of her.

Standing across from her now, I could almost see the same sad look in her eyes. Except, instead of crying out for my father, she seemed to be silently crying out for this to all work, because how else could she give rest to what happened?

Amanda looked up, her eyes meeting mine. I gave her a sympathetic look, wishing I could be her sister in that moment. I just wanted to hug her, promise her that things would be okay. Yet the girl standing in front of me, I knew she didn't want that. She didn't want to be protected or comforted, she wanted to be strong all on her own.

I broke eye contact when I felt my phone begin buzzing in my clutch. I quickly pulled it out to see Alex's number flashing on the screen, his photo popping up. I looked back up, planning on asking Amanda if she wanted me to come talk to her, only to see that she was gone leaving me staring at an empty space. I looked around, but didn't spot her anywhere, so I answered my phone, beginning to walk away from the party so I could talk to the one person that always wanted to talk to me.


	18. Chapter 18

I headed back to the South Fork shortly after my conversation with Alex ended. He had gotten a case, and was asking when I was returning as he didn't know if he could handle Jeremiah and the case. I explained it would be a while, but that didn't seem to make Alex happy. If anything, my words had only made him upset. It probably would have been a fight if Jeremiah hadn't started yelling in the background causing Alex to have to go deal with whatever mess he had made. From the tone of his voice though, the conversation wasn't over, and I was beginning to think I was running out of time.

Normally, any trips I took without Alex and the kids were planned in advance. Rarely did I have to make any last minute trips, and the rare instances when I did always had me back in Chicago in less than two days. Now, it was edging towards day five and I didn't have any definitive plans to return to Chicago. I knew I had to eventually, staying in the Hamptons forever wasn't an option, but I couldn't leave now. I was in the midst of a plan, and I needed to see it through. More than that, I needed to see my sister through whatever danger she was in, before I lost her and failed my father.

I was pulling off my shoes when my phone started buzzing again. I dreaded picking it up, not interested in a fight, and I knew if it was Alex calling back then it was going to be a fight. However, it wasn't his name on the screen but rather Amanda's.

"Hey," I answered, tossing my shoes into a nearby pile and sinking into a nearby chair.

"Hi. I need some advice. Advice I think only you can give me," That statement made my heart flutter with happiness. Finally, I could dish out some sisterly advice.

"Okay, hit me," I said, using the hand not holding the phone to pull some pins from my hair, letting it fall from it's updo down around my shoulders.

"Daniel doesn't trust me, apparently the lack past revelations is making him suspicious. So are the things I have done in the past. How do you get past those things? Show someone you want to be all in a relationship," I ran a hand through my now down hair, wishing she'd started with an easier question, like how do you know a boy likes you, or how do you deal with failing a test. Trust issues with a significant other was hard.

"Every couple is different. When Alex and I met, we had a similar issue." I said, flashing back to my courtship with Alex. It was amazing to think that had been over ten years ago. "I was vague about my past when I talked to him, though he was open about his. It led to arguments, and some mistrust. He thought I was hiding something because I didn't trust him, and that it meant he couldn't trust me. Eventually, I started telling him stories just about my mother, which seemed to placate him for sometime. Then he wanted to know about dad and I didn't know what to do. I knew he was innocent, but the rest of the world didn't." I explained, flashing back to the night when I had finally told him who my father was. It had been a hard night, one filled with a lot of tears on my part.

"I told him, broke down and explained why I hadn't wanted to tell him about my family. Explained to him that I didn't want who my family was to define who I was. Their reputations weren't mine, yet I felt like I was drowned in the shadows of them." I said before letting out a small sigh.

"Amanda, if you really want to go through with this wedding, you have to tell Daniel why you don't want to talk about your past. But you can't knowingly do that, so I don't know what to tell you, other than follow your heart, as lame as that sounds." I said, listening as my sister seemed to take that all in.

"I think I know what I have to do," The resolution in her voice scared me, mostly because I knew that she was going to lie about her feelings, and I didn't know if I was okay with that.

"Amanda, wait. Are you sure you want to go through with marrying Daniel? I mean, absolutely certain? This is your life, and if you marry him there is no going back and changing your mind. And anyone else in your life, anyone else you love, they might not ever forgive you if you marry him," I said, trying to point towards Jack. If what Victoria said was true, Amanda still had feelings for him. He already seemed disappointed in Amanda, and I couldn't see him letting it go if she married Daniel. "Dad wouldn't want you marrying someone because you want revenge for him. He'd want you marrying someone he'd be proud to walk you down the aisle to," I said softly. When I had first talked of marrying Alex, Dad had told me how happy he was that I was going to marry Alex, and how he wished he could be there to walk me down the aisle. He told me that Alex was someone he'd be happy to see waiting there for me, because Alex wasn't me settling for someone. Daniel felt like settling, and I didn't want that for my sister.

"Dad would understand," My sister said quickly. "I have to go. Thanks for the advice," Before I could respond, the line was dead, my sister gone. I set my phone down on the table nearby before burying my head in my hands. It was moments like these, when I wished Dad was still around to talk to, because he would know exactly what to do.


	19. Chapter 19

The next day, it seemed that I had nothing much to do. Amanda hadn't called back, and Alex had texted me in the morning saying he had to be in court, leaving me with no one to talk to. However, I didn't see this as much of a problem, as the hotel's pool seemed to be calling my name and the warm weather outside seemed so inviting. I double-checked there was no messages on my phone before putting on my emerald green one piece and heading outside, deciding that if I had no plans for the day, then I was going to spend the day working on my tan.

I'd been sitting by the pool for a few hours when my phone began to buzz, it's incessant sound pulling me from a wonderful day dream about Paris in the spring. I kept my eyes closed behind my sunglasses as I reached my hand blindly towards the buzzing phone, finally finding it before it could go to voicemail.

"Genevieve Ramston," I answered, not bothering to check who was calling. Even if I had, I probably wouldn't of recognized the number anyway.

"Hey, Genevieve it's Charlotte," I opened my eyes, a little surprised. When had I given Charlotte my number? Probably during the carbo loading session, I always tended to get a little mouthy around carbs. Didn't know why, but where some people opened up with alcohol, I always opened up with carbs.

"Hey, this is a pleasant surprise." I said, smiling at a pool boy as they put a new cold glass of water at the table beside me. "What can I do for you?" I asked, knowing that Charlotte probably didn't just call to chat.

"My Mom says that Dad suspects Jack cut the brakes in his car," I furrowed my brow in confusion. Cut brakes? What was she talking about? And why would Jack do that? Clearly, there was a lot I needed to be filled in on.

"Okay," I said slowly, recognizing that this probably wasn't a good thing.

"I'm afraid Dad is going to try and get Jack killed," Oh, okay that explained her call. "He already got Declan killed, and if he thinks Jack is after him," Charlotte didn't finish the sentence, meaning she expected me to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I could do that.

"You're worried about Jack," I said, making sure I had all the facts I could get here. She was worried about Jack, which made sense given that the Grayson's were well known for not caring about the causalities in their war against everyone who they perceived as a threat. Though, who Declan was and how he was a threat, and what his relation to Jack was, I'd need to clarify with Nolan later.

"Yes. What should I do?" I bit my lip, knowing that technically my answer should be, go to the police and let them sort this out. Yet, in this town, I didn't trust the police to do anything correctly, not when money speaks and the Grayson's likely still had some. Plus, I knew that protecting Jack was the first priority, Amanda would want it that way.

"You figure out a lie to make your father believe that this wasn't Jack's fault," I said after a moment of contemplation. "If you have to, you blame yourself." Actually, that was probably a good idea.

"Blame myself?" I sat up a bit in my chair, suddenly knowing what I was doing.

"Yes. If you take the blame, your father won't do anything to you. But if he keeps thinking Jack did this," I paused a moment, letting that sink in. "Well, you know." Charlotte seemed to as she started babbling.

"I don't know if I can even go talk to him, he's the reason Declan is dead and I can't face him. He's a monster," I listened as she continued, agreeing with everything she was saying. Conrad was a monster, one I had yet to see during my stay in the Hamptons something that I knew I'd need to change.

Last time I had seen Conrad hadn't been the night of the arrest, it had been six years ago at a business conference. Ainsley Media hadn't originally been on the guest list, I never a fan of conferences, and not interested in attending. However, at the last minute one of the speakers had backed out, and I had been asked to fill the role, one of the promoters being a former Ainsley Media intern who I had mentored. I had reluctantly agreed, and gone to the conference. It had been during my initial speech that I had spotted Conrad in the crowd, his eyes trained on me rather than the powerpoint I was using to present how companies could use media to reach their clients. After the presentation, he had come right up to me, asking why Ainsley Media refused to work with Grayson, and making some statements that might be construed as threats in the hopes of getting me to invest. I had brushed it off, but I had made it clear in that moment that I didn't have any interest in working with the Grayson's, something that seemed to confuse Conrad. I knew the man wasn't used to hearing no, and I was likely the first person to say absolutely not to any business offer from him.

It wasn't until the last day of the conference that he had approached again, asking me to reconsider my refusal. I had told him I wouldn't reconsider anything until David Clarke's name was clear. That had caught him off guard, and the look of recognition on his face had been the last I had seen of Conrad. He hadn't spoken to me since then, though he had continued to try and work with us, just never speaking directly with me. Apparently, knowing who I was had been enough to keep him away from that idea.

"Charlotte, you have to protect your family. That's what my father believed in, and it's a lesson I know he'd want me to teach you," I finally interjected, wanting her to stop rambling about Declan. Even if this was probably throwing Charlotte under the bus, I only felt a small twinge of guilt. In my mind, Amanda was more my family than Charlotte, and I was determined to protect Amanda's best interests over Charlotte's, and to me, Jack's safety was in Amanda's best interest. One day, she'd be with him, and he'd need to be alive and well for that.

"I know, you're right. I'll do it. Thanks, Genevieve," I smiled at my success.

"Any time, Charlotte. Call me if you need anything." I said before hanging up the phone and laying back down, proud of my success. My sister wasn't the only one who could manipulate to get things to work, though I liked to think I wasn't as ruthless as she was.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: This is the last chapter for the episode 'Control', meaning I won't be updating again until the next episode! I work this weekend, so I probably won't get a chance to watch the new episode till Monday. I'm hoping to keep updating after every episode. In the meantime, please read and review! **

After the pool, I had gone back to my room to do some actual work. Despite being miles away from the office, my work seemed to follow me everywhere as my email was full of memos and PDFs to look over before I did my next set of phone conferences. The work was boring, and daunting, and had me wishing for a distraction of any kind.

A knock on the door as the nearby alarm clock read seven seemed like a perfect distraction. I got up from the bed, leaving the computer open to the newest financial numbers from our latest newspaper launch in San Diego. The newspaper numbers looked promising, and I was excited as I opened the door, though that excitement turned to total confusion and shock at who was standing there.

"Alex?" I asked, not believing what I was seeing. I felt like pinching myself to make sure this wasn't a dream, but it clearly wasn't, as he wasn't alone. "JD," I said, holding out my arms for my squirming two year old, his actions indicating he wanted the mother he hadn't seen in a few days.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, it was an obvious question. I expected Alex to be in Chicago, yet here he was standing at my doorstep with a suitcase in hand and his messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

"I could ask you the same," Alex responded, moving past me into the room, letting me catch a whiff of his usual cologne. It was a strong smell, but a wonderful smell. There was a familiarity to it, and as Alex shrugged off the jacket he was wearing the smell became more pronounced. "Nice place," Alex remarked as JD started kicking against my hip, wishing to be set down.

"Hamptons are all about being the best," I said, setting JD down so he could stretch out his little legs. "I thought you were staying Chicago for the trial," I said, though that wasn't because I wasn't happy to see Alex. I was always happy to see the blond male and his broad shoulders. I just wasn't expecting to see him in the Hamptons, especially not right now.

"I am. But it's not really fair to keep JD with me. He'd be spending more time with a nanny than with a parent, and we agreed we never wanted that for our kids." Alex reminded me. It had been something we agreed upon before Marisol was even born. Alex had been raised almost exclusively by nannies, and I had only had a nanny for a few weeks at a time when my mother had something important to do. I had enjoyed being just with my parents, and I appreciated that most of my childhood memories involved my parents rather than nannies. Alex often stated he wished he had my childhood, as being raised by nannies wasn't as personal as being raised by your parents. That, and he had spent much of his childhood chasing his parent's affections, while I always had my parents.

"True." I replied. When Alex had to go to court, I usually took JD to work with me so Alex didn't have to worry about him. When I had a bunch of meetings, Alex would either work from home or take JD with him. Me being away, it threw a wrench in our usual agreement. "But that doesn't explain why you are here," I said, beginning to feel like I was just pointed out the obvious at every turn.

"I couldn't let JD fly alone," That confused me further. "I figured he could enjoy this vacation with you." Now I understood.

"Wait, no, this isn't a vacation," I said, shaking my head. "It's work," Alex looked skeptical.

"You aren't going to an office everyday," I opened my mouth, but I was at a loss for words. "Exactly. He can stay with you and do, whatever it is you are doing here," Alex said, and I could hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Alex, you have to trust me." I said, wishing this was a situation I could easily explain.

"I do trust you." Alex said, his eyes trained on JD as he climbed on the bed. "But I don't understand why you came back to this place. You hate this place," I let out a small sigh.

"Amanda, it's Amanda," I said wishing I could make him understand. But there was no way to. Amanda would never tell someone else she was alive, and I couldn't break her trust like that.

"Her death? I thought you weren't close to her," Alex said, and I could see in the way his face moved and his arms crossed that he was trying desperately to understand.

"I wasn't, not since we were young. But she was my family, and my dad wanted me to look out for her. I can't walk away from that," I said, hating myself for lying to Alex. I always tried my best not to lie to Alex, but I had to.

"I'm not asking you to, I'm asking you to keep JD with you." I glanced at my son who was now pressing buttons on my laptop.

"No, JD," I said, pulling the computer away from him before he could break anything. The movement caused him to start screaming, and I looked at Alex, almost blaming him for a moment before picking JD up.

"JD, you are fine. Calm yourself," I said, looking at Alex as he set the suitcase next to mine.

"I've got a red eye to catch back to Chicago. I have to be at the courthouse at eight to meet with the prosecutor." Alex said, coming up next to me and kissing my cheek. "I love you, and I wish I could stay a little longer." Alex said, his hand lingering on my back.

"I promise I'm going to come back to Chicago," I said, truly sincere. I was going to go back, I wasn't going to stay here forever.

"I know, and I'll be waiting when you do, as always. You and me, babe." Alex said, giving me his signature wink and grin that I always found charming as could be.

"Always and forever, I know," I replied. It was our thing, our way of saying we were fine. After every fight or disagreement, one of us, usually the angry one, would say it to let the other one know it was all okay. I still don't remember how it started, just that we'd been doing it for so long that it was just our thing.

"We're always going to be okay," Alex promised, kissing the side of my head before heading towards the door.

"Hey, Alex," I said, waiting till he turned around before speaking again. "I'm glad I followed my heart and married you," Alex tilted his head, a slightly goofy but confused expression on his face.

"I'm glad I married you too. Also, your grandparents called. Marisol wants her room to be modeled after Cinderella's castle, whatever that means," I let out a small snort, leave it to Marisol to want a Cinderella castle room. "So that means I win, she wants a princess room," I laughed as Alex headed out the door, leaving me with JD.

"How about some dinner, huh?" I asked, picking up the room service menu and setting down JD near the suitcase, one he tore open clearly looking for something Alex had packed for him. I scanned the menu, picking up my own phone as it went off revealing a text from Alex telling me that JD hadn't eaten, and he'd take care of Marisol's room, and that he loved me. I smiled, texting back a quick response before looking at my son as he played with his little red fire truck. This was what family was supposed to be, the life my father wanted his daughter to have. And now, I felt guilty having it


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: So, I just finished watching the new episode and can I say, I LOVED IT! Very excited to see where the rest of the season goes. In the meantime, I finally got a chance to write the first chapter of the episode Dissolution. I'm hoping to finish the next few chapters soon, but I make no promises! In the meantime, please continue to read and review!**

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand. I rubbed my eyes, turning in my bed towards the cot where JD was sleeping peacefully, his dark hair a mess on the pillow. His brown eyes were closed, and I couldn't help but stare. He looked so peaceful, and I wished I could capture that inner peace, but the buzzing phone wasn't allowing me to.

I turned back to the phone, reading the message on my phone. Apparently, Charlotte needed moral support at a family breakfast. I internally groaned, the very idea of a breakfast with the Grayson clan making me want to just jump of a building. But, I knew that to keep up appearances, I would need to attend. A supportive sister would. However, I wasn't about to bring my son into the lion's den.

"Come on, bud," I said, pushing the blankets off of myself and getting out of bed, flipping on the bedside lamp as I did. "We are going to Uncle Nolan's." I said, talking more to myself then JD. He was a sound sleeper like his father, and I knew that until I physically moved him, he wasn't going to rouse. Which gave me a chance to text Charlotte back before starting to get ready for the day.

Arriving at Nolan's, I could see my sister through the window. It seemed they were deep in discussion, as neither noticed me step through the door with JD on my hip, at least not until I cleared my throat, the last words I heard being about Patrick.

"Good morning," I said as both turned to look at me. Nolan looked surprised, while Amanda looked more annoyed at my presence. However, her appearance softened as she spotted JD on my hip. "I need a favor," I said, looking towards Nolan, knowing that Amanda likely wasn't going to agree to watch JD, in fact she was likely going to this breakfast.

"Why do I get the sense I'm going to be playing nanny?" I looked to JD, bouncing him on my hip slightly, causing JD to giggle slightly.

"Come on, you can't say no to this face," I said, looking back at Nolan. "Please? Charlotte wants me to attend some breakfast at the Grayson's." Amanda looked alarmed at that.

"You can't go, the Grayson's home is off limits," I raised an eyebrow at my sister.

"First of all, you are not my parent. Second of all, I already said yes, and third I'm the older sibling here, I'm supposed to tell you what to do, not the other way around," Amanda gave me a look while Nolan chuckled. "Therefore, I'm going to this breakfast." I said, turning my full attention to Nolan.

"So, can you watch him? It's just for a few hours. I swear, he's an easy kid to deal with," I said, hoping that Nolan would agree if he thought JD would just color quietly in a corner. However, I knew that I was setting Nolan up for a little bit of a disaster. My son was far from a perfect angel, and when left with people he didn't know he'd been known to drive people insane. But Nolan didn't need to know that, not yet at least.

"Sure, I can watch the little one." Amanda crossed her arms, and her annoyance was written all over her face.

"You don't want to do this," I set JD down, and with my arms free, I was able to mirror my sister's look.

"I'll make my own decision on that one," I retorted, my stubborn streak starting to rear its ugly head. I knew that my sister saying no was just making me want to attend this breakfast more. Sure, it was probably going to be a disaster, choosing to walk into the lion's den always was, but I was a big girl and I could handle my own battles.


	22. Chapter 22

Walking into the Grayson's manor had me flashing back to my childhood. It was a memory I tried to suppress, but standing in the foyer it came back to me.

It had been the summer of my father's arrest, and the Grayson's had thrown a party. It was a huge deal, though I don't recall what was being celebrated. Waiters had strolled around in tuxes, and men stood in corners talking business while their wives traded idle barbs about their outfits and husband's love affairs. I had been one of the few children there, or rather one of the few children who wasn't with their nannies somewhere. Amanda was with me, as dad had gone to talk to one of the investors. He had told me to stay near the dining room, but I had gotten bored just standing there, listening as my father talked about facts and figures that didn't make sense to me at the time. I had decided to walk around the place, and left Amanda in the dining room while I slipped through the crowd.

I had found my way to the foyer simply by following the waiter holding the salmon rolls I wanted. I had nearly reached him when I ran into someone, my determination causing me to not notice how they had been moving in my general direction. The collision had startled both of us, and I had looked up to see Conrad Grayson looking down at me. That had been the first time I met him, and as I stood in the foyer today, I wished it had been the last.

"Miss Ainsley?" I turned my head, my mind pulled from the past and into the present by the sound of the voice that had asked if I was alright all those years ago. "To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you? If you're here to take me up on the offer for an investment from Grayson Global, I'm afraid you're a little late."

To me, Conrad Grayson looked a little older than I remembered, but his presence still held the same power it always did. The last time I had seen him hadn't been that long ago, yet he almost looked older than I remembered, like the financial strain had finally hit him, which oddly meant our fortunes were now different. Where we were once both on semi-equal playing fields in business and finance, now I was on top, and that was oddly a good feeling.

"I'm aware that Grayson Global has gone under, I have come to believe that was karma at work," I said, my eyes moving past him to the woman with him. "Take down one man, and karma will take down everything you have." I said, glancing back at Conrad. His face showed some displeasure, and I knew if he had the chance he'd throw me out of the house. "However, I'm not here to gloat," I said, glancing towards where I could hear the voices coming from. "I'm here for breakfast. Charlotte invited me, wanted her sister here." I said, starting to move only for Conrad to stop me.

"Morgan, I'll call you about the deal. Stay for a moment Miss Ainsley," I let out an annoyed sigh at the sound of Miss Ainsley. I had never been called that. Okay, that was a lie, some men called me that when they weren't certain of my actual name, but hearing Conrad Grayson say it was like hearing nails on a chalkboard.

"Sounds good, I'll go get the process started," The woman called Morgan replied, her eyes looking me up and down, almost in a judging manner before she left. I watched her go, already deciding that I didn't like her.

"Miss Ainsley," Conrad started, causing me to turn and face him.

"It's Ramston, I'm married," I said. "And before that it was Clarke. Miss Ainsley is my mother," I corrected. Conrad didn't look fazed.

"Ramston. I must say, I'm curious as to your presence here. Last I saw you, you were running a corporation far from the Hamptons," I shrugged.

"Emily and I have known one another a long time, and when I mentioned I was coming to New York, she mentioned Charlotte, and how she was getting married. Knew I was Amanda's sister and thought asking me to be a bridesmaid would be a nice way to allow me to get to know my sister. Especially after you took the last one from me," Conrad seemed to pale a little at that, which caused some confusion inside of me. Did he not realize that he had been the reason my sister went to foster care was because of him and his treachery?

"I hope you are only here for the wedding, and nothing else." I tilted my head, a small coy smile playing at my lips.

"I don't know what you might be talking about. Your business is already gone, and that wasn't on me, so I'm not sure what you could be referring to. It was nice to see you as always, Conrad," I said, walking away for good this time. It was amazing what a few years could do to someone, something I was reminded of as I walked into the dining room to see my sister sitting beside Daniel. What a few years could do indeed.


	23. Chapter 23

Sitting at the breakfast table with Victoria Grayson on one end, Conrad Grayson on the other, and a rather annoyed Daniel across from me, was practically my worst nightmare. I suddenly understood why Amanda didn't want me present, but I was determined to hold my ground. However, I was determined not to get poisoned in the process, which was why I didn't really touch my food, not believing it below the Grayson's to poison anyone they didn't like.

I was pushing some food around on my plate, trying to appear like I was eating something when I heard Charlotte ask Daniel to spend some time together so they could talk business.

"You know, I could go with you, if Daniel's too busy. I own a successful business after all," I pointed out, holding back the barb on my tongue about how Daniel had only run one business and he had run it into the ground. Daniel's annoyance with me was already great enough, I didn't need to push it further.

"And I have experience in business and my sister's back," Daniel retorted at me, clearly frustrated that I had even offered, or tried to get in on their brother sister bonding time.

"She's not just your sister," I muttered, glancing at Amanda who was subtly shaking her head. Evidently, she didn't want Daniel angry with me.

"Like I was saying, I'd love to help Charlotte but I'm a little swamped at work with Margaux in Los Angeles," Daniel gave me a pointed look, to which I simply raised an eyebrow. So I had sent the editor of his magazine to L.A. to meet with some of the editors of more successful magazines Ainsley media held, big deal. It was just as much for her as it was for the company. All the editors she was meeting were women in a primarily male dominated field. It was going to give her some network connections as well as people to learn from. Not my fault Daniel had extra work because of it.

"If that's the case, then I can go with Charlotte." I said, causing Amanda to clear her throat.

"Why don't you both go with her? You both have great business ideas, and I'm sure a second opinion couldn't hurt anything," Charlotte shot Amanda an angry look, one that had me feeling a little defensive of my sister. What was with the anger Charlotte was projecting at my sister? Amanda had done nothing to this ungrateful girl, but I couldn't let those feelings through. Amanda had asked me to look out for Charlotte, and I was going to do that.

"Sure. That sounds good," Charlotte said after a moment.

"And it will be great because you can meet JD. Alex brought him into town last night so he could focus on the trial," Victoria looked up at that fact.

"Trouble in paradise?" I shot Victoria a look that I hoped conveyed my belief that it was none of her business, but responded nonetheless.

"No. Alex is busy with a trial and didn't want to leave JD with a full time nanny. We have a pact, our children stay with us or family as often as possible. JD is with me since my schedule is more flexible." I said, upset I was forced to defend myself at all. I really didn't think it necessary, yet Victoria made me feel like I had to defend every decision I ever made with my children. Not that she was mother of the year, her children's clear dislike of her was evident. "It allows us to bond with our children, let them know they aren't just pawns in our lives, but something we greatly love and value." I said, that directed at Victoria's parenting style. To me, it appeared her children were pawns, and the sentiment elicited a small laugh from Charlotte and a haughty look from Victoria.

"So you drag him from his usual environment? Seems selfish to me," I rolled my eyes.

"He's two. His usual environment is simply with my husband or I. Currently, he's with a family friend from when I was a child." I figured it best to leave out Nolan's name, firmly believing that the less they knew about my connection to Nolan, the better. "But I have to go pick him up now," I stated, knowing Nolan was probably already getting sick of having JD around. Nolan was always about computer's, who knew how long he was good with children.

"Convenient," Victoria responded. I bit my tongue, well aware that trading barbs with Victoria would get me nowhere at this point.

"Text me when you want to meet and where, Charlotte. I'm free the rest of the day, and I'm sure JD would love to meet you," I said, standing up and putting my napkin on my plate. "Thank you for breakfast, it was lovely," I said, grabbing my bag and heading out, turning back to Conrad as a thought crossed my mind.

"Too bad the deal on the house is already done, this would make a lovely office space for Ainsley Media's newest expansion," I said, giving my sister one last look before leaving, glad I had somewhat conquered the lion's den, if you could even call that a victory.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey! I know there was a new Revenge tonight, but I'm determined not to watch it until I finish off the chapters for this episode. I have a few chapters more for Dissolution planned out, but I'm not going to get the chance to write them until Wednesday when I get done with work. Sorry to keep everyone waiting! Trying to write between life is stressful! Please continue to read and review! Reviews make me more eager to write *hint hint*! **

Picking up JD, I had been surprised to find Nolan bonding with him, and actually getting along with JD. I had been quite certain that I'd pick up JD from a frazzled Nolan, who would swear that he wasn't going to be left alone with JD ever again. Instead I found Nolan enjoying playing cars with JD, and I had almost been tempted to leave him with Nolan and go out shopping with Charlotte without him, but Nolan had a place to be, so I was left with my son.

I was glad to get out of the shoe store with Charlotte and Daniel, mostly because I wasn't sure how much longer JD would put up with watching Charlotte try on shoes without something in his system. He was only two after all, and shoe shopping tended to bore most two year olds. But I wasn't about to ask Charlotte to pick a new location, not when it was clear she was already a little skeptical about having me along with Daniel, and Daniel was trying to undermine my advice at every turn. I'd almost lost it when Daniel had told Charlotte that my idea of advertising the Stowaway by offering a two for one drink special on the opening night was a money waster, rather than a creative way to bring people in. I'd managed to hold it together though, and now walking behind them, pushing JD's stroller, I wondered if I was better of returning to the hotel after breakfast.

"Hey, can you go pick up a cake for the Stowaway?" I heard Charlotte ask. I didn't hear the rest of the conversation, more focused on the idea of the bakery. Getting JD a cupcake would probably be a great way to keep him calm a little longer, though I hoped they had something that wasn't giant. I couldn't understand why bakeries kept insisting that cupcakes should be gigantic.

"I'll go with you, Daniel." I said, causing Charlotte to whirl around to look at me.

"No, no, I was hoping you would come help me at the stationary store. You've got a create creative eye," I raised an eyebrow. Now she wanted my insight?

"And a two year old who just sat through shoe shopping without eating any of the shoes. He's a priority. Unless you mind, Daniel?" I said, wondering if Charlotte just wanted to keep me and Daniel apart. Daniel didn't seem to mind though, at least his response suggested he didn't.

"No, I don't care. Kid needs sugar," Charlotte started to look a little panicked, and I wondered if there was something she wasn't telling me.

"But, we'll meet Daniel at the bakery. You can help me find the right invites," I shook my head, starting to push the stroller towards the bakery entrance.

"Just pick something that's blue, has anchors, and has brown lettering. Those colors will promote the Stowaway's vibe," I said, knowing those colors also wouldn't clash or be hard to read, plus the brown would be different than the black lettering people usually used.

"But-" Charlotte said as I started to pull the bakery door.

"Send me pictures on my phone if you get stuck," I said, starting to feel like I was talking to one of my editors who was missing a deadline rather than my younger sister. I turned to look at Charlotte, who didn't seem to have a response as she walked towards the stationary store. I glanced at Daniel, wondering if he had an explanation as we entered the bakery, but he didn't even seem to notice.

What he did notice, the girl behind the counter. I didn't even get a chance to say anything before the girl was suddenly yelling at Daniel. I watched in complete shock as the girl called out Daniel for leaving her with nothing, my mind trying to remember exactly what she was talking about.

Finally, I recalled the article I had read on the plane ride to the Hamptons about Sara, the waitress that had been in a car accident with a drunk Daniel Grayson. Evidently, this was Sara, and she had not gotten over what happened. Not that I could blame her, I was pretty sure I'd be pissed too if I was in her shoes.

As Charlotte entered, I glanced in her direction, my suspicions suddenly peaked. Had this been why she wanted me to go to the stationary store with her? It was rather odd timing, and I wasn't a believer in coincidences, especially when they happened like this. It was one thing to run into your ex on the street, it was quite another to run into them at the place they work, a place where Charlotte had placed an order.

I hung back as Charlotte and Daniel exited, their haste to get away from Daniel's ex causing them to forget about me for a moment. I quickly stepped forward, knowing I wouldn't have a lot of time before they realized they were missing someone.

"I need a vanilla cupcake, gluten free if you have them," I said, watching as Sara took a deep breath before grabbing one and putting it onto the counter.

"$3.25," Sara said, and I fished through my bag for my wallet, using the moment to start my conversation.

"You know, if you need a job with better health insurance, my company is hiring," Sara rubbed her face at the mention of health insurance.

"You heard that," It was more a statement of fact than a question, and I gave her my best sympathetic look.

"I think the whole bakery heard that," I said, knowing that I was one of the few in the bakery, but for how loud she was yelling, there was a chance people in the street had heard her frustrations.

"Great, just great." Sara said, shoving the money I set on the counter into the register. "Now, I'm not only the girl that was in the car with Daniel Grayson, I'm the girl that yells in a bakery at him." I put a hand up as she offered me the change, not wanting to take it.

"Keep the change, and I'm being serious, my company is hiring." Sara put the change into the nearby tip jar.

"I appreciate that, but I don't want pity. I just want to move on with my life," I leaned against the counter, turning the stroller around so I could see JD.

"I'm not offering pity, I'm offering you a second chance," I said, giving the cupcake to JD before continuing. "I'm Genevieve Ramston, CEO of Ainsley Media Corporation, and daughter of David Clarke." Sara didn't seem to be following my train of thought, so I continued. "David Clarke was taken down by the Grayson's. My life was turned upside down by them, I understand wanting to move on, but I also understand how hard that can be, and how much sweeter it is to rise above them rather than move on from them. Moving on, they think they won. Rising above them, they realize what they did wrong," I said, watching as the wheels turned in Sara's head.

"I'm not sure. Sure, it would be nice to rise above this, but how am I supposed to do that? I'm a girl who recently learned how to walk and has medical bills pilling up left and right," I pulled out my card, sliding it across the counter towards her.

"I can make those bills disappear, and get you a job with good benefits. Ainsley Media is always happy to employ those who wish to rise above their circumstances. We can find you a position." I said, knowing that between the magazines, social media section, newspaper section, and advertisement arena there was something somewhere for another girl. If not, I could always use someone in my own office, my secretary was always complaining she fielded too many calls…

"I don't want a hand out," I sighed, feeling like the conversation was starting to circle.

"I'm not giving you a hand out, I'm giving you what my grandfather gave me, a second chance. Your circumstances were tragic, you got screwed, but that clearly hasn't stopped you from living your life. I can help, you just have to trust me. Plus, taking my help will get you out of this town." Sara seemed to like that idea, her fingers picking up my business card and turning it over a few times.

"Out of town where?" I smiled.

"Anywhere but here, we have branches all over the world. You can go anywhere, just give me the word." I said, turning the stroller around and heading towards the door. "And Sara," I said, turning to look at her over my shoulder. "Working for me, we'll get you a better lawyer, find a way to get the money you deserve." I said, knowing that while the Grayson's were broke, there had to be money somewhere for the girl. Whatever contract she had signed, I was certain my lawyers could get her more, that was what we paid them for after all.

I exited the bakery, turning left and right before going left, and running into Daniel and Charlotte who seemed to be heading back towards the bakery.

"Genevieve, I was worried you had gotten lost," Charlotte said, looking down to see the cupcake in JD's hand. "Where did he get the cupcake?"

"At the bakery. When Daniel left, I planned on following, but then JD started saying cupcake and I knew it was either give him a cupcake or listen to him scream for twenty minutes. Besides, he deserved the cupcake," I said, playing off where I had been. I certainly couldn't tell them about my conversation with Sara, not when it was clear that Sara was a sore subject. But I had to explain where I was before they went back into the bakery for any reason.

"Did she say anything to you?" Daniel asked, and I had to keep myself from smacking him. Everything really was this kid's fault.

"Just that their gluten free cupcakes are popular," I lied, before looking around at the shops. "Oh, a toy store. You guys mind? I owe Marisol a gift," I said, pushing the stroller in that direction, glancing behind me to make sure Daniel and Charlotte were still with me. Hopefully, this would be the end of the Sara conversation with them. Though, it wouldn't be my last on the subject with Amanda. Already, I had an idea of how Sara might play into a revenge scheme against the Grayson's.


	25. Chapter 25

Returning to the Stowaway, I headed straight upstairs wanting to put a sleeping JD down. Charlotte had mentioned on the drive that Carl was staying with his grandparents, and to me that meant an empty crib in which to deposit my sleeping son, or an empty bed at least.

After putting him down and checking my phone messages, I started to head back down the stairs, pausing when I heard Charlotte's voice followed by Daniel's. I remained where I was, my mind racing as I heard Charlotte start telling Daniel that he needed to talk to Sara, move on past the accident. To me, that was rather unusual, and highly suspicious. I had thought it just a tad bit odd that Sara had been at the same bakery Charlotte ordered from, now I found it just plain suspicious, and very Victoria Grayson like. I could feel my hands start to clench into fists as I thought of the woman who had destroyed my family, and calmed myself down just as I heard Daniel leave.

I was going to go down the steps when I heard Charlotte again, this time apparently talking to someone on the phone. I closed my eyes when I heard the conversation, the Victoria Grayson in the girl now clear as day. This was something her mother would do for certain, it actually had Victoria Grayson written all over it. For a moment, I was disappointed. Some small part of me wanted to believe that Charlotte was better than her mother, better than the Grayson last name she once bore. Yet, it was becoming clear as day that she was more a Grayson than a Clarke. A Clarke girl didn't destroy someone who was innocent, and I believed Sara was innocent. She wasn't like the people my sister was taking down, people who had done terrible things to save their own butts. No, Sara was a victim of circumstances beyond her control, and now she was going to be another victim in the Grayson's chess game.

I clucked my tongue as I came down the steps, my disappointment turning to anger as I descended to a surprised Charlotte.

"Genevieve, I thought-" I cut her off.

"That I was still upstairs? Going to stay upstairs while you destroyed someone's life?" I asked, my tone becoming angry as I reached the end of my sentence. "Honestly, you are just like your mother." Charlotte looked stricken at that, almost like I had slapped her.

"I am not my mother," Charlotte protested, and I sensed I had struck a nerve.

"No, clearly you are. That phone call, that is probably going to get Sara in trouble, likely fired. Her life is going to be turned upside down once again and for what, Charlotte? So you can prove a point?" I demanded. "Or so you can save your own skin? Or maybe you are doing this just so you can get your own way, get your brother's attention." I snapped. "Well let me tell you something, people's lives are not trivial or toys, they are real and you just destroyed one, just like your mother destroyed my entire families life." Charlotte's face started to turn red, and I could see tears beginning to form.

"I'm trying to help my brother," Charlotte said, her voice cracking a few times. I shook my head in disgust.

"Help him? Or protect your own interests? You really are your mother's child, not my father's. My father would let Daniel make his own decision without interfering or using someone else as a pawn. This screams Victoria Grayson, and it screams why I don't want you near my son or me," I could see the fear in Charlotte's eyes as I turned around to go back upstairs, determined to get my son and leave.

"Please, Genevieve, you have to understand-" I ignored her as I moved towards the back room, Charlotte a few feet behind me, continuing to ramble out excuses. I finally cut her off as I reached my son.

"Understand what? That you are more a Grayson than a Clarke? I can see that clear as day. Amanda would be so disappointed," I said as I picked up JD carefully, resting him against me as I turned to face Charlotte. "Amanda and I had our worlds turned upside down because your mother wanted to protect her own interests. Evidently, Sara is your Amanda, just another unfortunate victim in the Grayson family's scheme to keep everything just as they want it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take my son before you or your mother can get your claws into him and make him the next victim," I said, brushing past Charlotte, the tears streaking down her face only making me a little angrier and more disappointed. Though, the disappointment wasn't directed at her this time, but rather at myself. I had promised Amanda I would look out for Charlotte, yet here I was unable to be in the same room with her anymore. I knew Amanda would be upset, but I also knew that I couldn't watch as Charlotte destroyed an innocent woman.

As I left the Stowaway, I wondered what Charlotte's end game was. I knew with my father, Victoria's end game had been to save her husband from jail, and her fortune from disappearing completely. But I didn't know what Charlotte's was. She said she was helping her brother, but how did destroying Sara's life help Daniel? Was it a revenge scheme of it's own? Or was she looking to replace my sister in Daniel's life? If it was the latter, I wasn't sure how I felt. I was still angry she was destroying an innocent woman, but I also wondered if Sara could save my sister from making the worst mistake of her life. Only one thing was for certain though, I couldn't keep watching Charlotte any longer, not if she didn't bat an eye at destroying an innocent person. If that was who she was, she didn't need my protection, she needed help, help I wasn't qualified to provide.


	26. Chapter 26

I didn't plan on going back to the Stowaway, but JD's fruitless search of the hotel room and my car for his beloved teddy bear had me hesitantly returning to the Stowaway after hours. I wasn't someone to avoid conflict, but the idea of running into Charlotte had me a little fearful. Not because I feared Charlotte, I had learned long ago not to fear the Victoria Grayson's of the world, but rather because I feared that my tough exterior might crack and I would become a pawn in Charlotte's game. I didn't want that, not when I was already struggling to be a pawn in Amanda's game.

I stepped inside, glad to see Jack rather than Charlotte, but at the sight of Nolan, I knew I had stumbled into something I shouldn't have. Both men turned to look at me when I came in, JD balanced on my hip. I glanced between them, wondering exactly what I had walked into.

"Did you know?" Jack asked, and I gave him a confused look, uncertain of what he was asking. I knew a lot of things; it was hard to understand exactly which he was referring to. "Did you know that Nolan knew who Emily really was?" I moved my attention to Nolan, wheels turning in my head as I started to understand what was happening.

"You told him," I said, trying to make sure I had my facts straight before proceeding. Nolan gave a nod.

"I had to tell someone, and he already knew." Nolan pointed out. I moved further into the bar, setting JD down at one of the nearby booths, giving him his toy car before moving to sit at the bar next to Nolan.

"You did know," Jack said, and I could hear the hurt in his voice. Though, I wasn't sure who the hurt was directed at.

"Nolan knew my dad before he went to jail. My dad invested in his company, helped get it started. When he went to jail, my dad asked Nolan to look out for us, make sure we were taken care of." I explained. "When my dad died, Nolan was the one who told us, and he was the one who made sure we were okay. I don't know how many times in the weeks after my dad died, Nolan called me to make sure I was okay. I asked him to watch out for my sister when she got here," Jack looked taken aback at that revelation.

"You knew she was here?" I rubbed my temples, a headache beginning to form at all the stress of the day.

"Nolan called me when he first saw her. He always let me know where she was, always. It kept me sane. I didn't know why she was here though." That was the truth. After Amanda got out of juvie, Nolan had been the one to tell me where she was every few months. When she had dropped off the radar of everyone else, Nolan had been the one to track her down and let me know she was alive. He had watched over her better than I had, and for that I was eternally grateful.

"Both of you, get out," Jack said, anger clear in his tone. I glanced at Nolan, who only grabbed JD for me.

"Jack, I'm sorry," Jack didn't seem interested in apologies, his finger pointed towards the door.

"Get out, now." I quickly followed Nolan out the door, crossing my arms as a breeze rolled through.

"That could of gone better," Nolan said, forcing me to give him a half smile.

"Loads better. Should of brought some cake, everything goes better over cake," Nolan laughed at that.

"That sounds like something your father would say," My half smile faltered.

"It was something he said. He said it to me once after a bad private school interview my mother had set up. He said, I should of brought cake to the interview, people love cake. Next time I saw him in person, he had cake for me. I always meant to bake him a cake after that. But, I guess I never got around to it, and when he went to prison I couldn't really bring him anything." I said, my eyes trained on the water, not wanting to look at anyone as I reminisced. "In his last letter to me, he repeated the line because I'd recently had a sale fall through." I looked at Nolan. "Thank you," Nolan looked confused.

"For what?" He asked.

"Being there for my sister. I know it hasn't been easy, but she trusts you. She doesn't trust me. So thank you for watching out for her. And for watching out for me. Honestly, I don't think I'd still be standing if it wasn't for you." I said, giving Nolan a hug, careful not to squish JD.

"This is getting a little too sentimental," Nolan said, but the way he returned the hug suggested he didn't mean what he said. "You're welcome," He said softly, pulling away and handing me my son.

"Big plans?" I asked, deciding a change of subject might be best.

"Sort of. You?" I shook my head before looking at JD.

"Game of tag with JD maybe," I said, giving him a slight bounce to elicit a giggle before looking to Nolan again. "Have fun tonight." I said, turning to leave, stopping when I heard Nolan's voice.

"I wouldn't be standing either if it wasn't for you." I looked over my shoulder. "You're father would be proud of you," I smiled at that.

"He'd be proud of you too. Goodnight, Nolan," I said, walking away, my eyes looking up at the stars as we neared the car.

"JD, look up," I said, pointing to the stars above our heads. "Up there, Grandpa is watching over you," I said, watching as JD pointed to a random star.

"Granpa," JD said before pointing at another star. "Granpa," I laughed as I ruffled his hair.

"Yes, Grandpa is every star up there." I said, looking up at the night sky. Before my father had died, he had told me to look up at the sky when I missed him and remember he was looking at the same sky. Looking up now, I thought of him, and wondered what he'd say if he could see us all now.


	27. Chapter 27

The next morning found me at Nolan's. After our sentimental night, he had texted me asking if I wanted to have breakfast with him. Secretly, I had a feeling he also wanted to spend time with JD, as he really seemed to have clicked with my son. JD also seemed to have clicked with Nolan, as the moment we entered the house he started yelling "NOLIE" at the top of his lungs.

After breakfast, I sat in the living room as JD chased around a car. In the kitchen behind me, I could hear Nolan moving, likely cleaning up the dishes from breakfast. I had been rather surprised to find that Nolan could cook, mainly because I'd never thought of him as someone who even knew what the purpose of a kitchen was. It was clear that I was wrong though, as breakfast had been delicious. Now, I was waiting for something else to do, when the door opened and in came Jack.

I stood as Jack entered, ready to flee if I had to. He hadn't been happy last night, and I feared he might be angry now. However, after a moment I relaxed, the calm features on his face indicating I didn't need to be worried.

"Why do we feel a need to protect Emily?" The question had me sitting back down as Nolan came out from the kitchen.

"Because who will if we don't?" I asked, more to myself then the guys. They seemed wrapped up in their own moment, and I got the sense that I was missing something important. Likely, what had happened in the last year or so since my sister had come to town.

I watched my son play with his car, turning when I heard my name come from Nolan's mouth.

"Genevieve knows her best," I looked at the pair skeptically.

"I doubt that. The girl I knew, she's not that same girl anymore. She's changed." I said, "She's got a lot inside of her now, a lot of secrets and darkness that I don't even know how to fix," I admitted. "But I have to try." I said quietly.

"You don't have to try. She says she doesn't want help," Jack pointed out.

"She doesn't want you to get hurt," Nolan explained, and I stood up, wanting to be more level with the boys.

"She doesn't want anyone but the Grayson's and their kind to get hurt. I think she just forgets about the domino effect," I said, aware that my sister's actions suggested she was trying to save us while destroying them. Sadly, we still got destroyed in the process.

"The domino effect that has gotten us all hurt, but she doesn't seem to care. Yet we are still protecting her. Why?" I ran a hand through my hair.

"Because we know she'll destroy herself without us. She's so determined to get revenge that she'll stop at nothing, and without us, she'll be destroyed. Hatred is a double-edged sword like that, for every ounce of damage you inflict on someone, you inflict the same amount of damage on yourself. Her hatred of the Grayson's, it's going to destroy her when it destroys them, and we don't want to see that happen," I said, pausing as a thought hit me. "We do this, because we feel responsible for her." I noted, looking at the group.

"Nolan, my father asked you to watch out for her, and so did I. Jack, you feel responsible because you were in love with her, and I'm her sister. We all feel responsible for her well being, whether we like that or not." Neither Jack nor Nolan seemed thrilled with that idea, but they both seemed to kind of accept it.

"What do we do?" Nolan asked, and I sighed.

"I don't know. If I knew the answer to that, none of us would be here," I pointed out. If I knew the answer, I knew that Amanda and I would be somewhere far away, being actual sisters rather than dealing with this revenge scheme. But as it was, I couldn't steer my sister off her course of action any more than the men in front of me could. "But I will say this, Jack, I wish she had just returned to the Hamptons for you."

My mind flashed back to their pretend wedding on the beach. My father had "officiated" while I had begrudgingly agreed to be the maid of honor in exchange for a trip to the mall later. My sister had looked adorable in her fake wedding gown, and Jack kind of dorky with his tie. I had probably looked ridiculous in my dress, one Amanda had picked out of my closet. If I remembered correctly, it had been this bubble gum tulle pink thing that my mother had gotten me. A dress I kept in my closet out of politeness rather than a desire to wear it. Amanda had been insistent though, so I'd put it on. Now, I would trade anything for that to be happening now.

"She's engaged to Daniel," Jack said, pulling me from my memory. His face didn't tell me anything, but I did wonder if maybe he still had some feelings for my sister, even if they were deep down. Wanting to protect her had to be a good sign after all.

"Right, I know. Daniel Grayson, as if that would of made my father happy." I said, shaking my head before turning as I felt my son crash into my legs.

"Potty," JD said, his arms wrapped around my leg. I quickly bent down to pick him up.

"Bathroom is?" I asked, following the direction in which Nolan pointed. I could hear Jack and Nolan continue talking as I walked away, though I didn't know what they were talking about. I had the sense it wasn't my sister though, but whatever it was, it wasn't good, I could tell that much.


	28. Chapter 28

When I arrived back from the bathroom, Jack was on his way out, but not before inviting me to the Stowaway's reopening. Evidently, he hadn't heard that Charlotte and I had a falling out, or if he did, he was keeping it to himself. Unwilling to admit my defeat as an older sister, I agreed to attend, grateful when Nolan told me to swing by after for dinner with him and Jack. Apparently, Nolan had been listening carefully to my breakfast conversation when I mentioned that things weren't great on the protect Charlotte front.

Later that night, I left JD with Nolan before going to the Stowaway opening, preferring he not be around in case things came to a head with Charlotte. I hoped they wouldn't, but the Stowaway wasn't a large space and there was always the chance of running into her. I decided I'd do my best though, and chose a dark brown sleeveless dress that went to my knees, hoping the earth tones would allow me to blend in better with my surroundings.

Indeed, the brown seemed to help me blend in, as when I entered no one even seemed to notice. Across the room, I could see Charlotte talking to Daniel, while Jack was nowhere in sight. I really couldn't blame him for deciding to skip tonight, but I did wish he hadn't invited me to a party he didn't intend to attend himself. It oddly reminded me of the various charity functions Alex got invited to that I ended up attending in his place. Parties that, like this one, always ended up with me questioning why I interacted with the human population on a regular basis instead of staying in my office or home, far away from the rest of the crazy world.

I carefully avoided Charlotte, using my ability to blend in to my advantage. Seeing that Jack wasn't making an appearance, I wondered if I was better off leaving. I was about to make a beeline for the door when I saw Charlotte head in that direction, forcing me to backtrack towards the kitchen area. I probably would of kept going if I hadn't glanced at the door and spotted a familiar face working in the kitchen.

I pushed the kitchen door open, ignoring the looks some of the other workers gave me. "Sara," I said, surprised to see her working in the kitchen. "I didn't know the bakery did on site parties," I said, watching as Sara made a face that was something between annoyance and finding what I said funny.

"They don't. I got fired," I bit my lip, wishing I had called after Charlotte did and corrected what Charlotte had done. If it had been Amanda, I probably would of done just that. With Charlotte, I guess I was too angry to see it as my place to do that.

"I'm sorry." Sara didn't say anything for a moment, her eyes focused on the dough in front of her.

"Charlotte offered me a job here, I guess it's better than nothing." Sara said after a moment. I pressed my lips into a fine line, debating my next words before speaking.

"Let me get you out of town. You can go anywhere you want," Sara shook her head.

"I don't want to run away from my problems." I rubbed a hand across my face, unsure of how to proceed. Amanda once accused me of getting to run from the Clarke family problems, an accusation that I tried not to think about due to the amount of sting it still inflicted on my soul. I didn't believe in running from problems, I believed in facing them. I taught my children that, I taught my editors that. I taught them not to throw money at their problems and hope they go away, but to stand up and either fight for what was right, or accept what they had done wrong. Yet here I was, telling this girl to run from her problems.

"The Grayson's aren't a typical problem, Sara. I've tangled with them before. They are a massive fire that consumes everything. Fighting them is risking everything. My father lost everything, I would of lost everything if my grandfather hadn't saved me, and my sister lost everything. I don't want to see someone else get burned," Sara looked up at me.

"I know how the Grayson's are. I dated Daniel, I saw how they could be," I wondered for a moment how much she had seen, before I remembered how great the Grayson's were at wearing the mask of innocence. "I got burned by them already, it won't happen again," I shook my head, recognizing someone who didn't want to believe they were in over their head when I saw them.

"Just be careful. My offer still stands if you want to leave." I said, not willing to leave the woman without a lifeline out. I knew what a lack of lifeline looked like, and I wasn't about to make Sara another girl without someone to save her.

I slipped out of the kitchen, and spotted Charlotte still near the door. Instead of avoiding her though, I headed straight for her, wanting to make sure that she knew exactly what she was becoming.

"If she gets hurt, it's on you," I said as soon as I was next to Charlotte. Charlotte looked confused. "If Sara gets hurt in any way, I will blame it all on you. It will be your fault, no excuses. You did this, so you either fix it or you live with the guilt of what you did."

"That's not fair, she can make her own decisions," Charlotte retorted, and I raised an eyebrow.

"You sound just like a Grayson, making up your own definition of fairness. Let me explain how the real world works outside of the pretty mansions you are used to," I said, lowering my voice to keep the conversation private. "In the real world, we don't all have parents ready to protect us and bail us out. We don't have fancy lawyers to make all our problems go away, or the money to buy people off. Real life is full of mistakes and consequences. I know that's a new concept for you, but you better learn it fast. If Sara get's hurt, I will make sure it comes back on you. " Charlotte looked stunned.

"You told me to be loyal. I'm being loyal to Daniel, I'm looking out for him, he's my family." I shook my head, refusing to let this be blamed on me.

"Being loyal and using people as pawns are two very different things. You destroy someone for Daniel, that's not loyalty that's cruelty. Loyalty is telling your brother how you are feeling, not turning someone else's world upside down to prove some point. There is a line when loyalty meets insanity and you are dangerously close to crossing it Grayson style." I said, noticing now how Daniel was watching Charlotte and I closely. "You best decide if you are a Clarke or a Grayson and soon. You can't be both." I declared before walking away, not allowing Charlotte to respond. She didn't deserve to have me hear her response, not after what she had done to this poor girl, and not after what her family did to mine.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Hey! I've been loving the reviews I've been getting! I've got one chapter left on this episode, then I'll be starting on the next one. I know I'm behind, but it's hard to keep up! The reviews have been fantastic though! Please keep them coming! Also, this was one of the hardest chapters to write, but I think it shows a side of Genevieve that I haven't gotten to show much. Please continue to read and review! **

Arriving back at Nolan's, I was surprised to find JD alone in the living room, at least until I heard voices coming from the kitchen. I wouldn't have found that strange, if one of the voices didn't belong to Amanda. I stood quietly at the entrance to the kitchen, listening as the pair argued, my heart breaking for Nolan. All he'd ever done was help my sister, and here she was yelling at him. I felt terrible, and suddenly wished I had come when he first told me my sister was in town, rather than now, when my sister was so far gone and not even recognizing help when she saw it.

I moved towards the wall as Nolan stormed away, leaving the air thick with his words, all he wanted was friendship. I couldn't blame him for that. Being a CEO, it's a lonely world; I knew that from my own life. Being a CEO with a secret, that was even lonelier. Nolan had probably hoped Amanda could be a friend, someone who understood what it meant to adore and respect someone that the rest of the world hated. Instead, he'd been a pawn in her game with no one to reach out to. That thought upset me further, as I questioned my own friendship with Nolan.

"What?" Amanda demanded as I stood quietly at the kitchen entrance. I pulled myself from my own internal questions to face my little sister.

"I know how he feels." I said, stepping towards my sister. "Your scheme leaves those of us in your world feeling rather lonely," I reminded her. Amanda didn't look impressed.

"I didn't ask for any one of you to help me. Nolan wouldn't take no for an answer, and you just showed up out of the blue," I shook my head slightly as I leaned against the counter across from my sister.

"You don't have to ask us for help, Amanda. Loving someone, that means we help you whether you ask for it or not. Being friends, that means we stand beside you in any storm." I said, wishing my sister could see what was right in front of her, three people who just wanted into her life.

"I didn't ask for any of that." I covered my face with my hands, a sign of exasperation if there ever was one.

"Okay, let me explain something to you," I said pulling my hands away from my face. "When dad was in prison, he asked me to do two things for him. One, listen to my mother and keep her from doing anything crazy. Two, watch out for you. He told me that you were my sister and my responsibility. He told me to protect you. He asked me, probably because he knew you never would. So I did that to the best of my abilities, and one of my abilities was reaching out to Nolan. When Dad died, Nolan was my lifeline and he was amazing at it. He knew what I was going through when no one else did. I knew that if I couldn't be there for you, Nolan was the next best thing. I asked him to help you, okay? I did that, and he agreed, not because I asked but because he cared about Dad, and Dad cared about you." I said, wishing my sister could understand that us caring about my sister wasn't something we could just turn on and off. We were responsible for her, because our father had once been responsible for us. My father had believed in Nolan when no one else did, and my father had believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. It was in his memory that I strove to honor his last requests, and I knew Nolan did the same. But I wondered now if my father would still ask us to watch out for Amanda if he knew what that would entail.

"Consider your responsibilities over then," I shook my head.

"Doesn't work that way. The moment you were born, you became my responsibility, Amanda. You might not think of yourself as my sister, but you are, and like it or not I will always protect you." I said, feeling the protective older sister side of me, a side that was usually tucked away begin to come out. "It may create a difficult life, but I don't care, I can deal with difficult." I said, well aware that my entire life had been difficult. I'd never had it easy, though I suppose my life was easier than Amanda's. I'd never been put into foster care or juvie like her, instead I had been put into fancy European boarding schools and college. I'd never disappeared for years, I'd always been in a stable place. I'd also gotten to follow my heart, but that never meant my life had been easy. I'd lived in the shadow of what happened to me when I was twelve for a long time. I'd lived with storm clouds every time the anniversary of my father's arrest and death came around, and that had never been easy. It hadn't been easy to have a father that I loved so dearly, but who was hated so deeply by the entire world. It had made life hard, yet I didn't give up and I wasn't about to start giving up now.

"Nolan clearly can't, he's gone rogue," Amanda said, like that was some terrible thing.

"Going rogue implies that he works for you." I snapped, angry at the idea of my sister being mad at Nolan for choosing to confide in someone that wasn't my distant sister. "He doesn't. Friends don't work for you, they look out for you. And if you aren't careful, soon no one will have your back anymore." I warned, aware that she was dangerously close to losing everyone who wanted to protect her. Jack was already at a breaking point, I had seen that. Nolan was clearly tired of my sister's games, and me, well I was still trying to figure out what role I was going to play in all of this.

"I don't need you to have my back, I can protect myself," Amanda said, moving from behind the counter and starting to walk away.

"Whoever called me didn't think so." I called after her, listening with a slight wince as the door closed with a bang. I let out a breath, and then a sob as the anger I felt turned into frustrated tears. I tried to pull myself together, grateful when I felt Nolan's arms around me.

"Shh, it's okay." Nolan said, which only made me cry more.

"We're going to lose her." I said, my tone muffled by my hand trying to wipe at the tears. "She's going to lose this game, it's going to destroy her." I said, my breathing starting to slow down as Nolan hugged my tighter.

"It will be okay. I won't let that happen," Nolan assured me. I pulled back the best I could to look at him.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend to you." Nolan released me, but kept a hand on my shoulder.

"You were a great friend, Gen, a great friend, a sister," I gave Nolan a weak smile, wiping the last few tears from my eyes as the oven starting beeping nearby.

"Thank you. Um, let me help with dinner. I've been told I make a fantastic devil's food cake," I said, just wanting to do anything rather than think of my sister's fate. Anything was better than facing that reality.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: This is the last chapter for the episode 'Dissolution'! Next up, Resurgence! Please keep reading and reviewing! **

Laughing with the boys over dinner had to be the best way to forget the whole Amanda mess. Reminiscing with them about the various escapades we had been up to since the summer our lives turned upside down, it was entertaining. I was in the middle of a story about the time I conned my way past security to meet one of my favorite celebrities when Amanda returned.

I quickly stopped my story, listening to what she had to say. Though, what she had to say had the tears I had wished would stay away returning. "Please don't do this," I whispered, not understanding why my sister felt the need to fake her death and disappear at all. More than that, I didn't understand her need to try and pin it on Victoria Grayson. Yes, I hated the woman, but more than that I saw in Victoria a fight to survive that I knew would serve her well as a woman on the lamb, or a woman fighting for her freedom. No well laid plan would work to put Victoria away, yet my sister was thinking it would.

"I have to, it's the only way to end this," Amanda said, as if it was as simple as snapping her fingers and making everyone happy. Jack and Nolan looked just as stunned as I was, though not as upset.

"I just got to see you again, and now you are going to disappear. My only family is disappearing," I said, feeling like my sister was slipping through my fingers, and with her everything I had ever fought for.

Maybe I wasn't willing to admit it, but protecting Amanda all these years had been one of the few things that kept me going. There were times when I wanted to give up on life, times when things got to hard, but the idea of abandoning my sister kept me from jumping off the edge. It wasn't something I liked to think about, especially not when I had a husband and kids who should have done the same thing for me. But they didn't, maybe because deep down I knew that my sister was always my priority over them. I don't know why it was like that, only that it was. I would drop anything for Amanda, anything. With my husband and kids, I always felt like I didn't have to do that. I always felt like if I didn't drop absolutely everything for them, they would understand. Amanda, I never thought Amanda would understand. Maybe it was because I was still trying to prove myself to her, and I never had to do that with Alex or my kids.

"I'm not going to be dead. I just can't see anyone for a long time," Like that made it any better. Already, I had spent years away from her, and now I was losing my sister all over again.

"It's the same thing," I said, wiping at the tears that were starting to spill over.

"There's no other solution," Amanda said, and for the first time, I could see that my sister wished there was another solution, maybe that she hadn't started this in the first place. Nolan put a hand on my back, clearly understanding that nothing my sister said was going to make this better.

"There is always another solution, it's called coming clean. Just admit who you are, reveal all the Grayson's secrets, just don't do this," I begged, watching as my sister's face set, her next words resolute.

"It's going to happen, and I need all of you to help." I felt my heart break at that. Help my own sister die, what would my father think of that? He'd be disappointed, and I could practically see him shaking his head, telling me that an older sister doesn't just go along with what the younger sibling wants, they talk some sense into them. But, Amanda wasn't eight anymore, and I didn't have any sense left to give her.

"Okay," Nolan said, and I whipped my head around to look at him. He looked from my sister to me, his eyes understanding. I heard Jack echo his agreement, but I kept my eyes trained on Nolan, trying to understand why he was agreeing to this. He'd vowed to look out for my sister and I, he'd promised to protect us, and here he was giving up? In the back of my mind, a voice suggested that maybe Nolan just wanted out, but my heart knew that wasn't true. Nolan was protecting us still, I just didn't know how.

"Okay," I whispered, turning to look at my sister. "What do you need us to do?"


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Welcome to the first chapter for the episode Resurgence! I'm not sure how many chapters I'll finish before the new episode comes out, but I'm going to try to get another few out today! Please continue to read and review! **

Hanging out at Nolan's was starting to feel more like a usual routine, as I once again found myself in his living room, reading the latest issue of Newsweek while Nolan was explaining to JD how computer code worked. Or rather, Nolan was explaining how computer code worked while JD mashed buttons on his fake phone.

"No, to hack a phone you need to make sure you trick the phone into thinking you have the password," I rolled my eyes as I flipped the page of the magazine, smiling as I recognized one of the journalist's names as one I had once let intern at my office. I was about to share my excitement when Amanda came talking about how Conrad hired a publicist.

"Which one?" I asked, knowing that in my line of work I knew a majority of the publicists out there, probably because I a majority of them worked for Ainsley Media Corporation's publicity branch.

"Bizzy Preston," I shot Nolan a look, before we both groaned.

"God, I hate her," I said, setting my Newsweek down on the nearby coffee table. "When I took over Ainsley, she threatened to out the fact that my father was David Clarke unless I let her cover my daughter's baby shower. My grandfather had to pay her to go away. Since then, she's threatened the same thing every time she wants to drag my name into the media. I had hoped she died already," I said, glancing at Nolan as he revealed how Bizzy had destroyed his relationship with his father. I gave Nolan a sympathetic look, wishing I could take that pain away. For how much Nolan did for Amanda and I, he deserved to have a happy family to talk to.

"Might I suggest you give her some false info to run with?" I suggested. "I know my publicity team sometimes releases fake info to get the attention away from whatever we don't want people knowing about," I explained, knowing that Ainsley's PR team was the best in the business. They protected more corporations than I could count, and continued to be my family's personal PR team. Though, they didn't have to do much on that account aside from keep the Ainsley name out of the media. Like my grandfather before me, I wasn't a big fan of having our names and faces splashed across the magazines and newspapers we owned the way some socialites did. No, I preferred that my name be something seen rarely and my face not recognized by the general public, and more than that I wished for my children to be able to go outside without photographers vying to snap photos of them. So far, I had been successful, but with Bizzy Preston about I had a bad feeling that success was about to come to a crashing halt.

"That's not a terrible idea," Amanda admitted, and I beamed, excited to finally contribute a good idea into the mix.

"What kind of information can you feed her?" Nolan asked as I pulled out my phone, texting the head of my PR team to be on the look out for anything Bizzy Preston tried to put out about my family or me.

"Affairs are always popular," I said, knowing from experience that any kind of love affair always got people buzzing.

"It needs to be bigger than that," Amanda said, and when I looked up I realized she was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, glancing between her and Nolan.

"Nothing, I need to go." Amanda said, though her eyes lingered a little long on my hand. "I'll see you both later." Amanda said, as my phone pinged with a response to my text message.

"Oh, my PR team is on the case," I said, causing Amanda to pause.

"What do you mean?" I held up my phone.

"They're going to control anything she puts out, or tries to put out if needed. Mostly about me," Amanda looked thoughtful for a moment before looking towards the door.

"Keep them at the ready, I doubt that Bizzy is going to just let your presence go," Amanda said, giving a small wave before disappearing out the door, leaving me with Nolan again.

"So what are the chances of JD learning code?" I laughed as I picked up my Newsweek again.

"Not good, keep trying though." I said, figuring letting my son learn code from Nolan couldn't be the worst thing in the world.


	32. Chapter 32

I had finished Newsweek and moved had moved onto editing some new material my secretary had forwarded me when Amanda came in again, teasing Nolan about his glasses. I had been so busy trying to get work done while JD napped I hadn't even seen Nolan slip on his glasses.

"You do look a lot like my grandfather, I think he owns a pair just like that," I said, getting up and following the pair towards the kitchen, leaving my iPad behind.

"My PR team is digging into Bizzy, by the way. They told me her reputation proceeds her and they want bonuses for the extra stuff they have to do now," I said with a shake of my head. I loved my PR team dearly, but they always seemed to want bonuses, and I was never interested in giving them except for at Christmas and sometimes after a great take over. But I rarely gave them out for making them work, especially when I already paid them more than most media firms paid.

"I'm sure they do." Nolan said, as he started doing some tech talk that was a little over my head. I didn't chime in till I heard something I understood, that they needed Bizzy's password.

"I could get that," I said, deciding it was time to offer up my services.

"How? The phone never leaves her hand," Amanda pointed out.

"I could offer to meet with her, claim I need her to do some PR for me," Amanda looked skeptical.

"I thought you wanted to keep your name out of the media," I shrugged.

"I do, but if keeping my name out means that you don't get what you need then screw my reputation. You come before my reputation," I said, before pulling out my phone and waving it around a bit. "Plus, my PR team can earn their pay blocking anything she puts out. It will be a fun battle of wits to watch," Amanda tapped the counter thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure, asking Bizzy to meet with you might spark some suspicions," I crossed my arms.

"I know, but if I'm a part of the wedding party, she'll want a reason. This keeps her busy and from connecting the real dots between you and me," I reminded her, which seemed to spark something in my sister.

"True, let's do it. One more person feeding her false info might help us out," Amanda said as I scrolled through my contacts for the name I only kept in my phone so I knew who not to answer for. I paused a moment, weighing how I wanted to start the conversation before hitting the call button on my phone and pressing the phone against my ear.

"Hi, Bizzy? This is Genevieve of Ainsley Media Corporation, and I'd like to get together with you later if you have some time."


	33. Chapter 33

I decided to ask Bizzy to meet me at a restaurant I had once frequented with my father as a child. It wasn't as upscale as the places the Hamptons, where the prices for food didn't match the amount of food you got, but it was nice enough to have me a light yellow sundress. I had arrived before Bizzy, leaving JD in the trusty hands of Nolan, who had still been trying to explain code to JD.

I stood when Bizzy came towards me, giving her a smile and kissing her cheeks as she stood close to me.

"Bizzy, how are you?" I asked, the fake polite tone I had mastered through countless business meetings coming through.

"Busy as ever darling, those secrets don't bury themselves," I flashed a fake smile, keeping my comments to myself as I sat back down, Bizzy taking the seat across from me.

"I must say, I was surprised when you called. Last I talked to anyone in the Ainsley group, you didn't seem happy to hear from me," I waved a hand of dismissal.

"That's the past, Bizzy. I want to focus on the future." I said, glad I had practiced part of what I wanted to say with Amanda and Nolan.

"I see, and what kind of future are you looking for?" Bizzy asked, pausing a moment to press some buttons on her phone. At the angle she was at, I couldn't tell what her password was, just that it was more at the top of the screen than at the bottom.

"The kind where people know me as David Clarke's eldest daughter," That caught Bizzy's attention, the phone that was once in her hand quickly coming to rest on the table.

"I thought that was something your company wished to keep buried deep," I let out a fake sigh, glancing around before lowering my voice.

"It was. But recently, I've been reconnecting with my roots and I want to come clean, let people get to know me as my father's daughter rather than just a successful CEO. Plus, I want my children to know who their grandfather was and not be nervous when someone asks that question," I lied, my children, well Marisol, knew who her grandfather was, I showed her pictures frequently. She didn't understand the implications of who her grandfather was yet, but she still knew who he was. "Which is where you come in," I said, raising my voice from the quieter tone used to keep the conversation private.

"That's a great way to present it, the media loves happy families," I bit my tongue, refusing to let the thought in my head, that I was well aware of what the media loved, come through.

"I do wonder why you don't trust your own media team to do this, they are well known," Bizzy paused as the waitress came by to fill out waters, continuing her sentence once the waitress had walked away promising to come back for our orders. "And I can't see them being happy that their job is being given to someone else," I gave a nod of fake understanding.

"They won't be, but if you want the best work done, you go to the best. My PR team is great with protecting the company, but they aren't great at protecting an individual. They only recently began working for a few celebrities, but it hasn't been long enough for me to judge whether they really know what they are doing, and this," I trailed off, faking a moment of thought. "Well, this is a delicate operation, one you specialize in," Bizzy looked thrilled with all the compliments, and I could see her falling for this all hook, line, and sinker.

"I certainly do specialize in images, and yours will be a challenge. You don't have much of a reputation to begin with," That's the point, I thought. I'd always been one to keep my private life private.

"Which I have a solution for, the wedding," I said, "Emily and I have known each other for a number of years and I'm going to be a bridesmaid at the wedding. I know it's a major social event, and I think it could be a great way to introduce myself, start on a good foot maybe," I suggested, watching as Bizzy picked up her phone and started typing. I cursed myself for not being able to catch her password.

"I agree. I'm putting you on the invite list for the Fourth of July party at the Grayson's tonight. Let them see you there first, and from there we'll spin your reputation until it's so good that your father won't matter." Bizzy said, her eyes flying to my own phone as it started going off.

"Sorry," I said, about to shut off the phone when I saw Margaux's number on the screen. "Actually, I need to take this. Excuse me a moment," I said, standing up and taking the phone with me.

"Genevieve Ramston," I answered, glancing over my shoulder at Bizzy. She seemed rather involved in her phone, and I had a feeling I'd need to tell Nolan and Amanda that I failed.

"Genevieve. It's Margaux, I'm calling because Conrad is coming into talk about something in Voulez and I think having you there would be good," I frowned, torn between my responsibilities. On the one hand, I needed to convince Bizzy to do this, but on the other hand, Voulez was something Amanda wanted me "helping" out with. In the end, Voulez won out, as I realized that blowing Bizzy off might make her more prone to wanting to help.

"Okay, I'll be there in twenty minutes. Don't agree to anything till I get there." I said, hanging up and walking back to the table.

"Sorry, but business calls and I have to go. I can call you later to hammer out some details," I offered but Bizzy shook her head.

"No need. I accept. We'll talk about payment later, but consider this a done deal." Bizzy said, and I was glad I made the choice I did.

"Wonderful. I must be going though, the tab is open in my name already so feel free to stay." I offered before grabbing my bag and leaving, casting one last glance over my shoulder hoping to see Bizzy's password. Instead, all I saw was a text message conversation that was too small for me to read.


	34. Chapter 34

I arrived at Voulez later than I expected, the midday traffic having me arriving after Conrad already had. I slipped into the office quietly, giving my bag to the woman sitting at the front desk before heading back towards Margaux's office, not waiting for anyone to show me the way. The secretary looked a little upset that I wasn't waiting for her, but I didn't have time to wait for her to call and ask if it was okay. I needed to be in this meeting.

However, it appeared that Margaux had the meeting under control, as I arrived to hear her telling Conrad that she wasn't going to publish and article advertising him, unless he wanted to open up his secrets. It was a surprising thing to hear her say, and it made me slightly proud. The girl had grown a backbone of sorts, as the girl I first met likely wouldn't have challenged a man like Conrad Grayson. Maybe the next step could be her father, though I knew I still needed to build her up to that confrontation. Pascal was a lot tougher to deal with than Conrad.

"I agree with Margaux," I said as Conrad tried to request that Margaux change her mind. "Advertising a man who's reputation is already so messed up would only hurt the burgeoning Voulez name," I said, watching as Conrad turned around in his chair to look at me.

"Unless he was willing to share something exclusive," I nodded, though I slightly disagreed. Conrad Grayson was going to be bad for any new magazine, he was a toxin, one that would destroy anyone looking to break into media. He was a disgraced man from a family that the American people were already skeptical of. Sure, he'd been elected governor, but there were a number of people who questioned that election and whether he really was the right man for the job. I knew at this point, unless Conrad's reputation did a total one eighty, he was never going to get any magazine to write about him unless they had a very good reputation. Which to me meant that he could either go Time or Newsweek, anything else would be taking a big risk including an interview with Conrad. I wasn't about to tell him that though, I happened to like the editors Time and Newsweek too much to put them through the torture of having Conrad Grayson bother them.

"I'm not going to open up my secret books," Conrad said before pointing to the wedding photos. "You're okay with covering a wedding," I glanced at the wall as well.

"Because weddings are happy occasions full of joy, which sits much better with the American public than a man who seems to be embroiled in a scandal at every news deadline." I pointed out, causing Conrad to let out a bitter laugh.

"Is that why you haven't bothered to do a profile on your own father," I crossed my arms, a small smirk on my face.

"No, I haven't done a profile on him because when he was alive, he liked his privacy and the truth. Maybe it's something you should try," I said, turning my attention to Margaux. "I think you have this handled. The answer is no Conrad, not until you are willing to tell the truth, and not just whatever brand of the truth you are trying to sell these days," I said, refusing to rise to the bait and get into a yelling match. A yelling match would solve nothing, and it wouldn't show Margaux how a powerful woman handles powerful men. Nor would it help Amanda out in her quest, and that was my greatest priority here.

"Thank you, Genevieve," Margaux said, and I gave a wave before leaving, picking my stuff up at the front desk as I went out.

"Oh, can you do me a favor," I asked, spotting Daniel's office empty. "Can you tell Daniel Grayson to call me when he gets a chance. I have some money issues to discuss with him," I said, aware that Daniel was in charge of the business and money issues. I didn't really have any issues to discuss with him, but I could make some up, and use it as a way to get under Daniel's skin, something I had yet to accomplish. So far, I was only a minor annoyance to him, but I felt like to make a bigger impact, I needed to get further under his skin.

"Will do, Ms. Ramston," The woman said, and I prepared to walk away before turning back to look at her.

"Just a quick question, where did you get that dress?"


	35. Chapter 35

The Grayson Fourth of July party was something I hadn't attended since I was a child, or rather seen being thrown since I was a child. Before my father's arrest, I had seen the party from afar, as my father had wanted my sister and I to stay in that night and watch the fireworks from the beach. Amanda had been okay with that, but I had wanted to go, the idea of all the people and food being something I wanted to see. I hadn't gotten my way, as my father had gone instead, but that hadn't kept me from observing the party from afar.

That observation served me well, as it had allowed me to know how to dress for this party, specifically it had let me know that the dress I saw the secretary wearing, the white dress with the sapphire blue sash around the middle would be perfect for the party. Now I had the same dress on with my hair pulled into twist and a clutch in my hand. JD was with Jack, as Nolan had said he was going to attend the party. It had been a little bit of a fight to get Jack to take Nolan, but when he heard why I needed to go, he had agreed, though he had oddly asked for JD's booster seat. I wasn't sure why he needed the booster seat, but I wasn't going to ask questions if he was going watch my son for me.

I was careful to avoid the cameras as I moved about the party, chatting with various people I recognized vaguely from the social pages in the local paper. I was starting to understand how the Hamptons were great for networking when I saw Sara with Victoria and Charlotte. I quickly excused myself from my conversation with the man that owned some car dealership or something, carefully moving so that I could eavesdrop on the conversation.

Evidently, Victoria hated all of Daniel's girlfriends, as she was rather rude to Sara, though that may have just been Victoria being Victoria. The woman had never been known for her compassion, no matter what my father wanted to believe. I winced at the last insult, shaking my head before following Sara out the back door.

"It always surprises me that she doesn't have a pet dragon laying around somewhere," I commented as I leaned against the porch near Sara. Sara turned her head to look at me, a slight smile on her face.

"Or a few cobras," I laughed, the thought of Victoria charming cobras rather fitting to the evil woman.

"Cobras would be great, just up her alley. But really, you okay? I know it's hard to take abuse like that sometimes," Sara nodded before taking a passing glass of champagne, giving me one as well.

"I'm okay. I forgot how awful she can be." I took a sip of the champagne, watching Victoria talking to Charlotte inside. I had a bad sense that they were up to something.

"I could never forget. I still have nightmares about her," Sara smiled at that.

"Do they involve dragons with her?" I laughed as I shook my head.

"No, just her being her awful self." Sara nodded.

"I'm not scared of her anymore, though she still tries," I looked at Victoria, giving her a small wave as I spotted her looking back at me.

"I'd be worried if she didn't try." I said, knowing Victoria's MO hadn't changed since I was twelve, and it likely wouldn't change any time soon. "So, how's work at the Stowaway going?" I asked, deciding to change the subject as I focused on Sara.

"Good. I like it; I'm starting to feel at home there. I'm also going to be making the wedding cake for Daniel and Emily," I was surprised to hear that, though I suppose I shouldn't have been. Daniel was never one to understand boundaries it seemed.

"That's wonderful! If you need help let me know, I'm not a certified baker but I am great at decorating." I said, knowing that I had made Marisol's last birthday cake myself, and it had been cute. It had been shaped like a cat, and had cute little whiskers made of black twizzlers and some carefully used Oreo's for eyes.

"Aren't you attending the wedding?" Sara asked and I opened my mouth then closed it before letting out an embarrassed laugh.

"Oh yeah. It's been so long since I've had to attend a wedding. But still, if you need help I'm always happy to help out," I said before a thought dawned on me. "Actually, I'm really happy to help you find someone professional to help. One of my friends from childhood owns a bakery in New York. I don't know if she's hiring, but I'm sure she could help you, or send someone to help you." I offered, watching as Sara shook her head.

"That's okay. But I'll let you know if anything changes," Sara assured me before spotting someone. "It was good to see you." She said starting to walk away.

"You too," I said, not sure who she was going to talk to. I probably would of checked, except that I spotted Nolan with Bizzy and knew I needed to go help out with that. Sara wasn't my priority, Nolan and Amanda were.


	36. Chapter 36

Across the room, I saw Nolan talking with Bizzy and made my way towards them, arriving just as Nolan offered to get Bizzy a drink. "I'll take one too," I said, flashing the pair a smile. "Vodka cranberry if you would," I said before putting my arm around Bizzy's shoulder and starting to steer her away from Nolan.

"Bizzy, I need to talk to you about something," I said, keeping my voice low and starting to replay the information Amanda had told me to feed Bizzy to keep her distracted, information my own PR team was ready to handle.

"Sounds like something must have been dug up on you," Bizzy said, and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head, wondering what information she would need to bury.

"It's true. I tried to keep it quiet, but when my PR team found out about me hiring you," I trailed off, letting Bizzy fill in the pieces.

"What information are they threatening to expose?" I glanced around nervously, giving Amanda a slight wink when I spotted her watching me, before looking back at Bizzy and taking a step towards her, indicating this was to be in the strictest of confidence.

"That I once had a relationship with one of my father's former advisors when I was in college. He was a professor at the University and I was a freshmen who was trying to adapt to life in America again after spending so much time in Europe. It wasn't a long relationship, but if it got out," I lied. Truthfully, I hadn't seen my father's advisors since that fateful summer, though I had kept up with their lives occasionally since then. Mostly, I kept up with them to see when karma hit them, always annoyed when I found out that they were in high paying corporate positions still. It wasn't until my sister came around that their fates started changing, though that was besides the point. The point was, the rumor was completely untrue, but with Bizzy there was a good chance she'd buy it.

"Was he married?" Evidently, she bought it.

"Bizzy, please don't judge. I was eighteen, I was just looking for someone's attention, and Alex doesn't know. If it got out, he'd be devastated and this man's life would be ruined." I said, my tone pleading.

"I'll bury it quickly, though I'll need to talk to your PR team to do that, or whoever is threatening to release it." I nodded, quickly reaching for my phone, though starting to babble as Amanda had instructed.

"Thank you. It's just one of the men threatening to release it. He's mad I don't give him a bigger role in the company, but I don't want to do that for so many reasons. The biggest reason being that I only hired him because he was friend's with Emily's first husband and Emily asked me for a favor." I said, before acting as though I realized what I had just said and throwing my hand over my mouth. "I shouldn't of said that," I muttered, my words muffled by my hand.

"You knew Emily's first husband?" I quickly shook my head.

"I shouldn't of said that, I should not of said that. I promised I would never speak of him," I said, putting my hand on Bizzy's shoulder. "You have to promise you won't tell Emily I told you. She'd be mad if she found out I talked about him. She wants so badly to move on with Daniel." Bizzy looked a little stunned.

"What was his name?" I shook my head, quickly starting to back away from her.

"I've said too much already. I need to go before I say anything else." I said, moving as fast as I could, flashing Amanda a quick thumbs up as I went. Amanda looked pleased as she gave a small nod of acknowledgement, and I was excited to have done something right.

My excitement didn't last long however as I spotted Charlotte making a beeline towards me. I tried to divert into another direction, but she was faster and before I knew it I was standing face to face with her.

"I'm glad you're here, I want to talk to you," I shook my head, and tried to move past her, only to have Charlotte stand in my way.

"Not interested," I muttered, trying to get by again only to have her block my way once more.

"I'm your sister," I glanced at her for a moment before looking away.

"Half sister," I corrected, my eyes falling on Daniel and then Sara. I didn't hear what Charlotte was saying as I watched them, their interaction fascinating to me. It was the kind of interaction I saw between those with long standing feelings for one another, or people who were together. It wasn't the awkwardness between exes, rather the palpable tension between people that were destined to be together.

Watching them, part of me was excited that Amanda would be off the hook for marrying Daniel, though the other part of me knew this would mess up my sister's plan. Marrying Daniel was her ultimate revenge scheme, and if Sara stood in the way… She wouldn't be so innocent anymore.

"I need to go," I said, cutting Charlotte off and finally just pushing past her, my sights set on Sara. I felt the need to save her from my sister's wrath, get her out of here, but Margaux grabbing my arm, forcing me to stop, diverted my attention.

"I think I'm going to publish Conrad's memoirs, he promises to expose some secrets." I turned my full attention to her, my need to do business automatically canceling out my protective sense.

"Secrets or manipulative lies? With the Grayson's secrets aren't always the truth," I said, knowing that I couldn't have my company's name tied in any way to Conrad's book. We prided ourselves on remaining scandal free in a time when media revolved around scandals, and Conrad's book would certainly controversial, and not in a good way.

"It's still something I want to pursue," I pursed my lips, about to retort when I heard my son's voice.

I turned my head, spotting him a few feet away with Jack, who was looking at me apologetically.

"Hey, I can't watch him anymore," He said as he grew closer, my son in his arms.

"Okay," I said, my tone confused as I took my son from Jack, nestling him against my hip. "You have something you need to do?" I asked, unsure of why Jack was bringing my son back, or why he'd bring him to the Grayson's property. This was the lion's den after all, and my son was too small to be here safely, something I thought Jack understood.

"Yeah, maybe," I glanced between him and Margaux, sensing there was something I was missing.

"Okay, well I need to go. Margaux, we'll talk about this mess tomorrow," I said, refusing to remain in the Grayson's household any longer. By myself, I could remain a while longer, but with JD now in the picture, I needed to leave ASAP. He was vulnerable here, and I wasn't about to let Victoria Grayson at my child.


	37. Chapter 37

Leaving the party became harder than I imagined once the fireworks started. They instantly fascinated JD, and pulling a two year old away from sparkly lights in the sky is a hard thing to do. I hovered by the door, hoping the show would end soon and I could take my son away. However, things never quite work out how I hoped they would, as evidenced by a cold voice entering my ear.

"What a cute child," I didn't have to turn my head to know Victoria Grayson had spotted JD and I. However, I did turn to face her, knowing that ignoring Victoria Grayson only tended to make things worse. "How old is he?" She seemed genuinely curious, her eyes focused on my son and the way he was pointing at the fireworks.

"That's none of your business, Victoria," I said, wanting to make it as clear as possible that my son was not a target in her schemes. He was an innocent child, not a pawn she could use to get what she wanted. She had used me against my mother once, and I wouldn't put it past her to try and get JD taken away from me in order to get whatever she wanted.

"He's an adorable child, looks a little like you," Victoria said, and I held my son a little tighter, wishing the show would just end so we could leave. "Does Bizzy know he's here? He'd make for a great story," I gave her a harsh look.

"He's not here for your publicity. He's my child." Victoria looked somewhat amused.

"Children are always great for publicity," I sneered.

"You'd know, you've used yours as publicity pawns forever," Victoria crossed her arms.

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you," Victoria said, her voice low and threatening.

"Or what? You'll threaten to have my child taken away like you did to my mother? Let me tell you something, Victoria, while my mother may have been scared of you, I'm not. I'll do everything to protect my children, including taking down yours." Victoria didn't look scared, but I knew her Achilles' heel and quickly went for it. "Patrick for instance is noticeably absent, and I happen to know where he is. I also happen to own a number of papers who would love the inside scoop on Victoria's oldest child. I'd remember that before you target my son," Victoria's face paled slightly.

"You wouldn't," She said, almost as if trying to call my bluff.

"One phone call and his name, his past, everything about him is splashed across every newspaper, magazine, and news show I own, and I own a lot. He won't be able to walk down the street without being recognized, and whatever secrets he has will be aired for the whole world to hear. And the biggest secret I'll reveal? That he cut Conrad's breaks which killed a man of God." Victoria's face went another shade paler. "You sure you want to see if I'm bluffing?" Victoria didn't respond as the fireworks stopped and people began to clap.

"That's what I thought. I'm not the only one with things to protect, Victoria. I'm just not one to fire the first shot. But I will fire the last," I threatened before looking at JD.

"Come on buddy, let's go back to the hotel and call Daddy, you can tell him all about the pretty fireworks," I said, giving one final glance to Victoria. "Goodnight, Victoria. Lovely party."

I moved past her quickly, heading straight for the door. In my haste, I didn't notice a man coming down the stairs until I collided with him, nearly losing my balance.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," I said, glad the man had put out his arms to steady me so I wouldn't drop JD.

"Not a problem," I quickly took a look at the man's face, recognizing him instantly from the first party at Nolan's. He was the man who called me, the one who brought me here. He seemed to realize who I was as well, as he released me as soon as he could.

"I think we need to talk," I said, watching for his reaction. He didn't seem pleased with the thought.

"I don't think that's necessary," I gave him a look my mother claimed caused men to quake, a look that was meant to make people understand that what I said wasn't a suggestion but a command.

"I think it is. Come by the South Fork tomorrow, or I tell my sister exactly who called me." I said before turning and heading out the door towards my car, trusting he'd be at my hotel room door come morning. He didn't seem like someone who wanted his secrets revealed, and I doubted he wanted to see if I would keep his secret a secret once he ignored my request.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: So this is the second to last chapter for this episode. I'm behind, I know, but I'm determined to catch up! With the show going on a few week hiatus soon, I'm hoping I'll get completely caught up before the show returns! In the meantime, please read and review! All the positive reviews are making me really happy and excited to keep writing! **

The next morning, I waited anxiously for a knock on the door. I had switched rooms the night before, deciding that a one bedroom and one bed room didn't fit well when I had a two year old to take care of. Instead, I was in a two bedroom with a living area and bathroom, and I was currently in that living area, occasionally wandering to the bedroom where my son was sleeping to make sure he was still sleeping. I didn't want him interrupting any conversation I was going to have, especially not with what I had dug up on the man who called me.

Knowing what he looked like, and that he was clearly close to my sister, had helped me track down who he was. I'd spent half the night putting my journalism degree to use, researching who the man was and exactly what his connection to my sister was. Using a photo searching tool, I'd found a page that featured the very man in question, and through that tool I'd found more information on the man that my sister seemed rather close to.

As soon as the knock came, I was at the door, opening it up and moving aside to let the man inside.

"Aiden Mathis," I greeted, noticing immediately the surprised look on his face.

"Did Emily tell you my name?" I shook my head, pointing to my computer which had a list of all the information I found on Aiden.

"No, I'm just a journalist who knows how to do her job." I said, well aware that most people forgot that I was once a journalist. Most people knew me for running Ainsley Media Corporation and forgot that I once was a journalist before moving up in the company. My degree was a dual degree in journalism and business, but all anyone remembered was the business degree. Few remembered that I was once a great journalist, known for tracking down information on people. Secretly, I always thought that if Ainsley Media went under, I'd go into private detective work.

"I see, and you believed it was your job to get information on me," I ran a hand through my hair, an annoyed sound leaving my lips.

"My job is to protect my sister from those who don't have her best interest at heart." Aiden looked miffed.

"You think I don't have her best interests at heart? I called you," I made a mental check mark that I was right on that, glad I was accusing the right person and not just some random stranger.

"I know, though I don't know why." Aiden glanced at his watch, and I wondered if he had somewhere he needed to be.

"Because, I thought Emily was changing the plan, that she was going to stay here instead of end this and leave." I immediately felt my anger start to bubble, as I realized that the man standing in front of me was the reason my sister thought leaving was a good idea.

"So you're the reason she's leaving. You really think that's in her best interest? Letting her fake her death and run away?" I demanded.

"It will end this ridiculous scheme and get her out of harms way," I shook my head.

"No, it will take her away from everyone that loves her and cares about her." I snapped.

"I love and care about her," I pointed a finger at him.

"You are not her family. I'm her family, me. I'm the one whose been watching out for her since she was born. I'm the one that asked Nolan to watch her, I'm the one that made sure she had money and a place to stay. I'm the one that showed up when I thought she needed me, and I'm the one that will continue to be there long after you disappear, Aiden." I said, my voice rising in anger. Aiden started to look angry too as I spoke, clearly upset that I was questioning his love for my sister.

"I'm the one that kept her from killing anyone, and the one that cleaned up her messes. I'm the one that has kept her safe in this plot," I shook my head in disgust.

"You kept her safe in this plot or encouraged this plot? I know your father was involved in the flight, I know that you have something to gain." Aiden sneered.

"And you don't? David Clarke was your father too," On reflex, I smacked him, the sound of my hand connecting with his face ringing in the air as I stared him down.

"Don't you ever bring up his name again. You don't have a right to do that. He's my father, she's my sister, and I know what's best for her. Taking her away from everything, including me, it's going to be the worst thing for her." Aiden didn't say anything, and we stood in silence for a minute my ringing phone breaking the tension.

I was tempted to ignore the phone, but Aiden kept glancing at it, leading me to pick up the phone.

"Genevieve Ramston," I said, my tone a little harsher than I meant it to be.

"Um, is this a bad time?" I rubbed the bridge of my nose, annoyed with myself for being so harsh on the phone. I always prided myself on being able to sound polite and professional on the phone.

"No, Jack, it's fine. What's up?" I said, watching as Aiden headed towards the door.

"This isn't over," I said, holding the phone away from my ear so Jack wouldn't hear.

"We'll see." Aiden said, the door slamming behind him as he left. I stared at the closed door, wishing I could kill Aiden with the glare I was giving the door.

"Genevieve, are you there?" I heard Jack ask, pulling me from my angry glance at the door.

"Yeah, sorry." I said, not even sure what Jack had just been saying to me. He could of told me that elephants were turning pink for all I knew.

"So you can come down for breakfast here? I need to talk to you in person," I took a look at the clock, grateful to see that JD would be getting up soon on his own, and I wouldn't need to wake him and deal with cranky JD all day if I went to breakfast with Jack.

"Yeah, I'll be at the Stowaway in forty-five minutes with JD. We can walk to that little café on the corner. It's still there right? I remember them having the best omelettes," I said, remembering how my father sometimes would take Amanda and I there for breakfast. I wasn't sure if they were still in business, but if they were the idea of an omelette sounded good.

"Okay, I'll see you then." Jack said, and a second later there was a click as the call ended and I was left to stare at the door, wondering why Aiden Mathis thought he had a right to take my sister away from me, and how I was going to stop him.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Hey everyone! This is the last chapter for the episode Resurgence! I'm hoping to start writing for Secrecy come this week and after that I should be caught up! Thank you all so much for reading this story! I've loved writing it and I'm excited that you all are enjoying it. Please continue to read and review! **

Sitting outside at the small café, it reminded me a lot of my childhood. All that was missing was Amanda running around as we waited for our food, my father laughing at whatever made up game she invented. But that was long ago, and now I sat at the café with Jack and JD, waiting for the food to arrive while Jack filled me in on why he asked me to come.

"So let me make sure I have this right," I said, wanting to make sure I summarized the information I was receiving correctly. "Margaux wants to publish Conrad's book, and you want me to stop her," I said, understanding the basic concept of why it shouldn't be published from a business sense, but not understanding why it mattered to Jack. I would of expected this concern from Daniel, or maybe Amanda, but not Jack.

"Yes. She doesn't know who she's working with, Conrad is evil," I nodded my agreement, not needing Jack to tell me that Conrad was evil. I had seen his work first hand, I didn't need a reminder.

"I'm aware. Though I have to ask, why does this matter to you? No offense, but this seems more like something Daniel would be concerned about," Or should be something Daniel would be concerned about. However, the Grayson's were thick as thieves, and Daniel probably was the one encouraging the publication of his father's book, rather than realizing how bad any publisher of the book would look in the long run.

"I lost my wife and brother to Conrad, and I don't want to lose anyone else I care about to him," Alarms started going off in my head as my mind started putting the pieces together. The look between him and Margaux last night, the fact that he told me he had plans, the lack of wedding ring on his finger now, it suddenly made sense to me.

"You have feelings for her," I said, more an observation than a question. Jack didn't say anything for a moment, and I took that as a yes. "I suppose she's not the worst you could do," I said, starting to smile as I saw Jack's face go cold and angry. "I'm kidding, Jack. Breathe," I said, shaking my head as the food arrived.

"I don't want her getting hurt by Conrad," Jack said once the waitress walked away, leaving our food on the table. I started working on cutting up JD's pancake, pulling his little hand away as he tried to dip it into the syrup.

"I already told her that I didn't think it was a good idea." I admitted, giving JD a bite of pancake. "But I'll keep pressing the issue. My own reputation is on the line too with the release of this book. However, I can't make any promises. She's a big girl, one who doesn't seemed thrilled with the idea of having someone tell her what to do," I said, aware that her wishing to get out of her father's shadow and out of the shadow's of powerful men would make her less likely to take anyone's advice. I would know, when I'd taken over the company I had been unwilling to take anyone's advice, convinced I needed to make my own mistakes. That had ended quickly after I nearly lost control of three of our magazines and had to get my grandfather to step in. If this was Margaux's rebellion, I knew it might end with someone having to ride in to save the day.

"I know, but she looks up to you." I hummed lightly in agreement, handing JD his sippy cup full of milk before looking at Jack.

"She may look up to me, but that doesn't mean she'll listen to me. Can I suggest something though?" I said, waiting for Jack to nod before continuing. "Maybe you should tell her what Conrad has done, make her understand why you are so against this. Coming from me, she'll think I'm just trying to be spiteful. But from you," I gave a small shrug. "She might be more open to listening to reason." I said, about to continue when my phone started going off on the table.

I pulled the phone towards me, using the hand not holding the phone to give JD another bite of pancake.

"You think she'd understand?" Jack asked as I read the text from Amanda, raising an eyebrow at the message. Apparently, now both my sisters wanted to ruin Sara's life though for two different reasons. I quickly texted back a promise to talk to Amanda soon with my free hand, hitting send before responding to Jack's question.

"Sorry. Yes, I think she'll understand. I think she's a nice girl who will understand why you don't like Conrad if you just say something. Right now, she doesn't know what your problem with Conrad is, but if you tell her it will at least let her know where you are coming from," I explained, taking a bite of my own omelette finally, excited to find it was just as good as I remembered it being from my childhood.

"I'm just afraid I'll lose her. She's the first girl I've had feelings for since I lost Amanda," I gave Jack a sympathetic look, though inside my heart felt like it was being crushed. I had hoped my sister would be the girl he would move on with, but instead he was moving on with Margaux, and that thought just crushed all hope I had for my sister getting the happy ending she deserved.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update, but the holiday's and work made it hard for me to get some writing done. One thing I will say about the episode Secrecy is that it gave me some GREAT ideas. I'm excited to see where this story is going to go. Please keep reading and reviewing! **

The next day found me back at Nolan's, a place I was beginning to consider a home away from home at this point. JD seemed to feel the same way, as I had noticed that he was starting to leave some of his toy's at Nolan's, including his favorite car. Usually, when he left his favorite car somewhere, he threw a fit until I managed to distract him or one of us finally gave in and just went back to pick up the car. But leaving it at Nolan's, he didn't seem to have an issue with, almost like he knew we were coming back. Truthfully, I didn't know whether to be happy about that or heart broken that my son was getting attached to a place we weren't going to remain near forever.

While JD played with his favorite car in the living room, I followed Nolan and Jack through the house, watching as Nolan put post it notes around and Jack talked about how Margaux was continuing to dig into Grayson Global.

"I told her not to," I said, wishing Margaux had just listened to me and let the Grayson thing go. Conrad's past wasn't something to be dug into, especially not when his past was tied to my father's, and therefore mine. Sure, I wasn't shying away from being known as David Clarke's daughter while I was here, but my company wasn't about to be brought down by that idea. My grandfather had cut ties with my father when the allegations surfaced because he didn't want to lose his company to false allegations against my father. My father had understood and told me when I started in the media to keep my name separate from his so I wouldn't be blackballed in the media world. I hadn't wanted to, and I wanted to do it even less now. But I had a number of employees counting on the jobs my name gave them, and I couldn't risk it. More than that, I couldn't risk my sister being exposed if Conrad's entire past came to light.

"She's not listening," Jack said as we stopped in the kitchen. I leaned against the counter, my elbow resting on the smooth counter top while my other hand rested against my hip, my fingers brushing the pocket of my jeans.

"Then I'll have to make sure she can't dig anything up on the company," I said, well aware that my PR team could keep people quiet if needed. Though, the idea of protecting the Grayson's made me feel sick to my stomach. However, if that was what was required to help Jack, I would do it. For Jack or Nolan, I'd do anything, including burying a few secrets I could use later if needed I supposed.

"Are you sure? I don't want to have you helping the Grayson's," I put my hand on Jack's arm, giving his arm a slight squeeze, wanting him to understand that all of this was for him.

"I'm not helping them, I'm helping you. You deserve to be happy, and if Margaux makes you happy, then I am going to help her." I explained, letting go of his arm as Nolan put another sticky note down.

"What are the sticky notes for? If you don't want JD touching stuff, these will not stop him. He can't read," I said, picking up a nearby sticky note and reading it.

"They aren't for JD, he's allowed to touch what he wants. They are for Aiden, he's moving in with me," I raised an eyebrow as I set the post it note back down, wondering if maybe it was time to take JD away. I certainly didn't trust Aiden in the same space as my son, and neither did Jack it seemed.

"Aiden? The guy who made me send my son away? Why are you letting him live with you?" I pointed at Jack.

"Him, I agree with him. Though, I'd send JD away for safety too if I could. I don't trust him in the same town as Victoria Grayson, but I don't have a choice. Alex is busy," I said, before putting my hand back on my hip. "Carl is probably safer away from this town, Aiden or no Aiden. However, I still think Aiden shouldn't live here. I don't trust him," I said, wondering what Nolan was thinking letting Aiden live with him. The man couldn't be trusted, everything I had dug up on him indicated that. He was a man with his own agenda, one I couldn't be certain of and couldn't let Nolan get hurt by.

"I don't trust him either. He's not a good guy," Jack pointed out as Nolan gave a small sigh.

"He's helped me before, and Emily trusts him. She plans to leave with him," Jack looked a little stunned at that tidbit while it only confirmed what I had suspected.

"I didn't know she was leaving with him," Jack said, and the hurt tone in his voice had a little flutter in my heart starting. It was clear he had some kind of feelings for my sister, otherwise he wouldn't care she was leaving with another man. That, or he was just feeling protective of her, which was the first step towards true feelings of love if you asked me.

"I didn't think that was any of your business," I spun to see my sister, shocked I didn't hear her come in. Then again, I hadn't really been paying attention either.

"You didn't think it was my business?" Jack asked, and I pointed at Jack again.

"I'm with him, I'm your sister I deserved to know," Amanda gave a brief glance in my direction that suggested she'd talk to me later before looking at Jack.

"You wanted this done by the end of the summer, you don't get to decide how it happens or what happens when I leave," Jack's anger seemed to grow at that, and I wished that his anger could convince my sister to stay. I wanted her to stay, to be my sister, but I knew I couldn't force her into anything. I had to let her do her thing, and hope that she'd one day come back to the family, though that was the hardest thing to do.

I watched as Jack stormed out, standing up straight so I could face my sister. "I don't blame him for being upset," I said, watching as my sister rolled her eyes.

"He forced me into this, he doesn't get to decide how it's done." I thrummed my fingers against the counter in slight annoyance.

"What about me? Do I get to be upset?" Amanda looked a little torn at that thought.

"This is for the best, Genevieve." Amanda said, and I felt my heart sink at the thought. I couldn't understand how this was for the best, how not having family around was for the best. Hearing the words come out, I felt like a failure. My father had charged me with protecting her, and here I was letting her out of my grasp, out of my life. I felt like my father would be disappointed, and wished that I could help her understand that our father wanted her to have a family. Help her understand that the Grayson's didn't have to destroy our entire family, that she and I could still be a family. Yet, it was clear her heart was closed off to the idea, her plan for revenge her only focus.

I didn't say anything as my sister left, only burying my head in my hands on Nolan's counter, wishing I could make her understand.

I looked up when I felt a hand on my back, Nolan's figure besides mine, his hand rubbing my back. "It will be okay," Nolan said, and I could tell he was trying to be genuine, and he probably was. Yet, I couldn't see this as okay.

"Is he really a good guy, Nolan?" I asked, desperate for the answer. "Is he really the person I want my sister leaving forever with?" Nolan gave me a sympathetic look.

"I wouldn't be letting him move in if I didn't think he was a good guy," Nolan said, his sympathetic smile changing to one of amusement as I picked up a sticky note with a raised eyebrow. "He's a good guy I just don't want to break my stuff. You can never be too careful." Nolan said, and I wondered if he was just trying to defend my sister's decisions so I would feel better, or if he was hoping to make himself feel better.

"I don't want to lose her," I whispered, glad that Nolan seemed to understand.

"I know, she's your family. She's practically my family too," I put my hand on Nolan's shoulder.

"We can be each other's family," I said, motioning towards the living room. "JD already thinks you are his family." Nolan smiled at that.

"I'm glad, because I'm getting attached to the little guy," I grinned.

"I was hoping now that Emily will be gone, maybe I could spend the holidays with you and your husband," My smile grew as I imagined Nolan opening gifts with my kids and decorating Christmas cookies. It was a good image, one I wished could also include Amanda and Jack, and especially baby Carl.

"I couldn't imagine spending the holidays with anyone else. I'll even get you a plane ticket, fly you out or I'll fly everyone out here. Marisol needs to meet her Uncle Nolan after all, JD can't have all the fun," Nolan grinned before his eyes seemed to light up like he remembered something.

"Speaking of fun, I got JD a gift," I tilted my head, wondering what exactly he got my son. Nolan moved away for a moment, returning with a box in his hand.

"It's a child's tablet. Not exactly the fanciest but it will introduce him to the world of technology." I took the box from him, turning it over to look at the features before giving it back.

"Sounds good to me. Just make sure he doesn't play anything violent on it. I don't want to explain to Alex where JD learned wrestling moves." I said, glancing at my watch. "You want to show him how it works? I have to head to Voulez talk to Margaux, but I'll be back in an hour or so." I said, knowing that my trip wouldn't be long. Just long enough to find out what Margaux knows, and then make sure she doesn't find out anything more.

"Of course. JD always has a place here, as do you," I gave Nolan a thankful smile before heading towards the front door, glad that Nolan would always be there for me.


	41. Chapter 41

I arrived at Voulez, to find the place in full swing. Journalists were moving around and photographers were clicking at their computers, images on the screen transforming as they tried to make all their photographs match the idea of the article. Watching the process, I felt a pang of sadness that I don't get to spend much time in the magazine offices anymore. When I worked as a journalist and later an editor, I used to love the hustle and bustle of the magazine office. Now, working at the top of corporate, I missed out on the hustle and bustle. The people in my office rarely bustled, instead they just answered the phones and sent emails and when the clock struck five took off like a fire alarm had gone off. It wasn't as exciting, but it paid better, so there was that.

I was pulled from my reminiscing by the sound of Conrad's voice, or more specifically his rejection of Margaux's offer to publish. The sound of rejection was music to my ears, as now I didn't have to worry about an Ainsley Media investment coming into scandal. However, the rejection clearly upset Margaux , as she started arguing with Conrad about how that wasn't right. It was almost amusing to me, her getting upset that Conrad had used her. Evidently, she hadn't learned much about the media world yet, as I had learned long ago that the media world was all about doing whatever it took to get ahead. I had met editors willing to sell out their own friends and family to get a scoop that might get them ahead in the media world. One girl I had worked with sold out her boyfriend of eight years when he got famous so she could get a byline in a gossip magazine. That was the media world, and I knew what Conrad had done might be considered wrong in a normal sense, but in the media world what he had done was common practice. I had learned long ago not to be offended when someone turned down an offer from one of Ainsley's publishing branches, instead I had learned long ago how to make the best offer.

I moved aside as Conrad left, not bothering to acknowledge him or his presence.

"Can you believe that?" Margaux asked, her hands in the air in obvious exasperation.

"Yes, I can. That happens on a regular basis. Media is a shark eat shark world, media companies are used to create a bidding war all the time. I've been a part of the bidding war. What surprises me is that you didn't know that was going to happen," I said, raising a finger. "Rule one about book publishing, never be the first to make an offer unless the other publisher turned them down, and if that is the case you better figure out why the other publisher turned them down. Believe me, the first to make the offer in the publishing world, especially when it comes to publishing memoirs, is the first to get trampled." I said, knowing that rule was one all my publishers had to learn on their first day, especially when we had to go head to head with the big publishers.

"Second rule, as a new publishing firm you don't start with a controversial book. You start with the story of a hero, and you don't go controversial until at least book five. Get your feet wet, don't dive in, otherwise you'll end up dead." I said, aware that if Margaux wanted to start publishing memoirs, she needed to start with a hero or a victim, not a villain. Villains were for already established publishers that could handle controversy. A new company couldn't handle it, a well-established one could.

"I want to put us on the map," Margaux said stubbornly. I was starting to feel like I was fighting with my daughter over wearing a jacket as Margaux continued on. "Grayson would put us on the map, we would be a household name." I shook my head, crossing my arms in frustration.

"But for what? You are just starting. You want to be known for publishing an amazing magazine and a story of a hero. The first book will tell a lot about you. Be careful what you say," I said, wanting to be clear that this was a bad idea. Margaux still didn't seem to believe that, and as she grabbed her bag, I had a feeling I had only convinced her to try harder.

"I know what I want to say, and I'm going to get to the bottom of this Grayson mystery. Now if you'll excuse me," Margaux said brushing past me for the door. I turned to watch her go, standing there a minute longer before heading towards her office with a sense of purpose.

Not seeing anyone watching, I entered into her office quietly, sliding the door shut behind me. On her desk sat her laptop, one that was open to what looked like research on the Grayson's. Next to her computer was a notepad, one that held a list of names, some of which I recognized as people my father once worked with. I pulled my phone out, snapping a picture of the list as well as the computer's screen. I clicked around on her laptop screen for a moment, snapping pictures of the other things on the screen before returning the screen to how I found it. I glanced at the pictures on my phone, making sure I could read everything before leaving her office as quietly as I entered it. Now that I knew what she was researching, I knew exactly what to tell my PR team. Specifically, I now knew who my PR team needed to buy off, and how much more research Margaux still had left to do.

As soon as I was outside the building I dialed my PR firm, listening to the sound of ringing until the head of my PR department picked up.

"Adam Messler," A deep voice said on the line. Adam had been one of my grandfather's hires, a man in his late sixties who probably should of retired long ago but couldn't let his job go. He had given up everything for the PR firm, and I always had a feeling that he would die in that office. He often worked later than I did, and I always knew I could count on him to keep things quiet, and spin things correctly.

"It's Genevieve. I need you to do some work for me off the books." I said, hearing the creak of Adam's chair on the other line, a good sign for me. Anytime his chair creaked that meant he was leaning back, ready to say yes and listen to what you needed.

"In exchange?" There was always a catch. But with Adam, it was never a terrible catch, just some extra vacation time or under the table payment.

"Vacation to Italy you promised your only granddaughter, or should be promising your only granddaughter. She's nineteen and studying fashion last I heard," Adam chuckled.

"You have a good memory. " It was easy to remember that tidbit of information, his granddaughter was interning in one of my mother's offices. She was also the only grand child that talked to Adam; making her the one I knew Adam needed to keep happy. The rest of his family had long ago given up on the old man, and only his granddaughter gave him a sense of family. "Now, what exactly am I doing for you?" Adam asked.

"I'm going to send you some photos. The names on the list, I want them all paid or threatened to keep quiet about Conrad Grayson, Grayson Global, or David Clarke. I also want you to get rid of any articles online that tie David Clarke to Ainsley Media, or to NolCorp." I said, knowing that I needed to keep everything as separate as possible, keep Margaux from discovering anything that might harm her. "I want Conrad Grayson coming off as vague as possible. Not perfect or nice, just vague." I said, trusting Adam not to ask questions. That was the nice thing about Adam, he was good at just doing things without asking questions. When my grandfather had hired Adam, I had a feeling that had been his favorite quality about Adam.

"Done. Send the pictures and I'll have it smoothed over." Adam said, the click on the line letting me know that he got the message. I clicked on my photos, sending them off before starting to move off of the street, happy that I could help Jack out. However, in the back of my mind something was starting to gnaw at me, but I couldn't figure out what, only that something felt very wrong, and I was missing something important.


	42. Chapter 42

Arriving back at Nolan's house, I heard Nolan's voice along with Aiden's coming from the kitchen. Before heading there, I stopped to check on my son. JD was by himself in the living room, his little hands pressing against the tablet I presumed was the one from Nolan. He seemed rather entertained by the device, and setting my bag down near him I headed towards the kitchen, deciding to give a rule of my own to Nolan's list.

"My rule one." I said, waiting until both men were looking at me before continuing, "You don't touch my son. You don't go near my son. You stay in a completely different room than my son if he's here, or you will never be seen again." I warned. Aiden looked skeptical, but when Nolan spoke up his face went to understanding.

"I second that rule. That's basically my nephew, so I will throw you out if you hurt him." Aiden raised his hands in surrender.

"Fine, I won't go near the kid." I hopped up onto the nearby counter, letting Nolan continue on with his rule.

"Rule nineteen, call before you come home. I don't want you harshing my vibe," I laughed, as the word vibe coming from Nolan was just funny to me.

"Then get a dog, Nolan, they always let you know when someone is coming," I said, before watching as my son ran into the room, Amanda a few feet behind him.

"Amily here," JD said, running towards the counter where I was. I slid off, catching my son before he could collide with the counter.

"Kids work well too," I said, picking my son up and resting him against my hip. My eyes turned towards my sister, only to see her sucking face with Aiden. I made a disgusted face, the hand not holding my son going to cover his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the make out session I was witnessing.

Nolan made a face back at me, before I looked at my son. "You want some juice?" I asked, just wanting something to do than stand awkwardly as my sister made out with her boyfriend. JD nodded behind my hand, and I set him down as my sister and Aiden separated. "Go play in the living room then, I'll bring it to you," I said, not wanting my son in the same room as Aiden. JD wandered off as I opened the fridge.

Behind me, I could hear my sister talking about her wedding, and Nolan making a joke about how she was planning a wedding to one man and a honeymoon with another. That thought made me think about my own wedding.

It had been so long ago, but it felt so recent. I had been terrified that day; mostly afraid I would fall in the dress I was wearing. My mother had helped me do my make up, while Alex's sister did my hair. My mother in law took pictures, remarking how I looked so beautiful in white. My roommate had slipped me champagne when my mother and mother in law weren't looking, and I remember wishing she'd mix it with some vodka to kill the butterflies that were gnawing at me.

Walking down the aisle had made it all worth it though. Seeing Alex draw in a breath at the sight of me in my dress, it was an image I never forgot. I had only been focused on him as I walked down the aisle, the thought of falling never even crossing my mind again. The only thing I remember thinking as I walked down the aisle was how lucky I was, and how sad it was that Amanda and my father weren't there to see it. I had sent my sister an invite, and had secretly hoped I would spot her in the audience. She hadn't been there though, or at least I never saw her.

My thoughts ended as I heard Aiden leave, and a splash of apple juice hit my hand. I quickly stopped pouring into the cup I didn't remember grabbing, putting the top back onto the apple juice.

"So, your bridal shower today, any color I need to wear?" I asked, deciding a change in subject might be in order. Amanda shook her head as she came over and took the apple juice from me, putting it into the fridge so I could put a sippy cup top onto the cup of juice.

"Do these things usually have color schemes?" Amanda asked, and I shrugged.

"I don't really know. Mine did, but my mother planned it and being the queen of fashion she wanted everyone to match," I said with a roll of my eyes. My mother and I had disagreed a lot about my wedding, and it had led to a number of fights between us. Then again, it hadn't been like we had the best relationship to begin with. My mother and I had always had a little bit of a strained relationship, her fashion forward thinking and more laid back style always leading to arguments when I wanted to go out. There were also a lot of arguments about my father, as my mother refused to admit why she really sent me away for a long time. There was also the problem of our polar opposite personalities, which meant that we didn't spend a lot of time together. As it was, I only saw my mother a few times a year and spoke to her only about once every few months.

"I remember your mother, she always dressed to impress," Amanda said, and I gave a small shake of my head.

"That hasn't changed. Only thing that has changed is her hair color. She's a red head now. Refuses to go gray," Amanda laughed as I smiled. The conversation felt normal, like something I would talk to my sister about. And even seeing her make out with her boyfriend felt kind of normal for a second, which was weird. For a moment, I wondered if this was what normal sister's did, made faces when their sister's made out with their significant others and didn't approve of them. I felt like we could be teens again, at least until Amanda brought up Victoria Grayson.

"Victoria wants you to bring JD," That caught me a little off guard. I didn't know why Victoria Grayson wanted my son at this bridal shower, but it made me nervous. "I promise I won't let anything happen to him," Amanda said, and I could tell she was being sincere. She truly did seem to want to protect my son, and that amazed me. But I knew it wasn't going to last, and wondered for a moment if she was just doing all of this so I could leave with a sense that I had a sister for just a little bit.

"I know you won't. But if something does happen, I will go off book. I'll do anything to protect him, anything," I said, knowing I'd keep my promise to reveal everything about Patrick to the media if my son got harmed. Amanda nodded, as did Nolan.

"I'll be there too, we'll watch out for him. Nothing is going to happen to him so long as we are there," Nolan said, and it warmed my heart that they were so dedicated to protecting my son. Though, it also slightly broke my heart that my son needed to be protected at all. In an ideal world, Victoria Grayson wouldn't be a threat to my son, she wouldn't be a problem at all. But I had never lived in an ideal world, and therefore protecting my son would have to be my number one priority today, that and watching out f


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: I didn't realize until one of the comments that the last chapter got cut off. So the final sentence for those wondering was: **

**"But I had never lived in an ideal world, and therefore protecting my son would have to be my number one priority today, that and watching out for my sister."**

**Not sure why the chapter cut off like that, but I'll be making sure all of the chapters don't cut off from now on. And on an writer's note, this chapter started as one thing and ended very different than I intended. But I LOVE it. I'm excited for the next few chapters after this. As always, please continue to read and review! **

Going to my sister's house was a trip down memory lane. I had almost refused to go when Nolan invited me to go with him. Going back to the house, it felt like one thing I wasn't ready to do. But with JD wanting to go with Nolan, and me not wanting to go back to the inn, it felt like I didn't have another choice but to go into the house I grew up in.

Walking in the front door, I almost had to take a step back at all the memories that came flooding back. The porch swing that I once sat on after a fight with my father still swayed in the breeze, and when the door opened I was brought back to the last time I opened the door. It had been the day my father was arrested, I had arrived back from a shopping trip in town with a girl I had met on the beach and had come in yelling for my father to come see the dress I got. Looking at the stairs as I entered, I remembered how he had come down, telling me that if the dress was too short I was going to take it back.

I turned my head towards my sister as she appeared, my mind racing back to when she was little and used to come around corners, often nearly knocking me over in the process, especially when Sammy was sliding on the wooded floors behind her. "Hey, I didn't know you were coming," I could tell the comment was directed at me, and I just gave a small wave while Nolan handled JD.

"I invited her, thought the more the merrier." Nolan remarked as he headed towards the living room with JD in his arms.

"He's good with him," Amanda noted, causing me to give a mute nod as I stared at the living room I had been headed towards when the FBI came in guns drawn. They had taken me by surprise, the bowl of cereal in my hand going crashing to the ground as they screamed for my father to put his hands up. One of the officer's had grabbed me and pulled me outside before I could even comprehend what was happening. Only after the officer got me through the front door did I realize what was happening and start screaming for my sister. Standing in the midst of the foyer, I could still hear my father's screams for my sister and I, and my sister's screams for my father.

"Gen," The screams in my ears stopped as my sister's voice entered my ears, her hand waving in front of my face. "You okay?" I forced a smile.

"Fine," I lied, turning towards Nolan and JD, the former of whom was staring at my, likely wondering where my mind had gone. "I'm going to get myself some water. Excuse me," I said, walking away, back towards the kitchen I had last been preparing cereal in once upon a time.

I took a deep breath as I went to the fridge, trying to shake the memories that were coming hard and fast. I hadn't come back to the house since that night, hadn't even laid eyes on it until today. Now, I remembered why I had avoided it. All the memories I had of the worst summer, they seemed to live in this house. Standing in the kitchen, I could see myself skipping around in a circle while Amanda and Sammy followed and my father took pictures. I still had those pictures somewhere. Turning my head to look out the window, I could see my once little sister playing outside while I made lunch for her and I while my father worked. I was starting to feel overwhelmed, and the water I poured for myself didn't feel strong enough to numb the pain that was starting to surface.

"Gen," I nearly dropped the water as I spun to face the voice, my sister putting her hands up, apparently realizing she had startled me. "Sorry,"

I shook my head quickly. "No, it's okay. It's just been a strange day." I said, setting the water glass on the counter, figuring it was safer there than in my kind of shaky hands. I ran my hand over the counter, the cool surface starting to calm my spinning mind.

"This is the first time you've been back here," Amanda pointed out, and I glanced at her face, her demeanor suggesting she didn't know this was my first time back until now. "I thought you would of come back sooner," She said softly. I shook my head.

"I thought about coming back to the house a few times, but," I trailed off. There were a lot of reasons I hadn't returned. It hadn't felt right, I couldn't find a reason to, I didn't want a reminder. All the reasons seemed strange now as I stood inside the house, strange but very reasonable. "Anyway. It's nice to see it now. It still looks nice," I said, happy to see the house hadn't fallen into disrepair. It actually looked really nice, and I knew my father would have loved its appearance now just as much as he had back then.

"You never came back?" Apparently, my sister wasn't ready to drop that topic.

"No. Never found a reason to I guess. I had a life in Chicago, and before that my mother feared letting me anywhere near Victoria Grayson." I said, well aware that until I turned eighteen I was rarely allowed anywhere near the Hamptons. The closest I got to the Hamptons before my eighteenth birthday was Cape Cod, and even that had been a fight.

"How does she feel knowing you are here now?" I didn't meet my sister's eyes as I spun one of my fingers around the water glass. "Does she know you're here?" I shook my head.

"My mother and I talk four times a year if that, and I see her maybe three times a year. She doesn't ever know what I'm doing with my life," I explained. Amanda looked a little surprised.

"I thought you were close with her," I made a face of confusion.

"I was never close with my mother. I was close with dad and my grandparents. Mom and I spoke different languages." I said with a sigh of annoyance. I sometimes wished for a close relationship with my mother, but I learned long ago that things don't always work like that.

"Did you know my mother was still alive?" I froze, that had been a topic I hoped would never come up.

I had been nine when my sister was nearly drowned. I hadn't been there when it happened, I had been on a cruise with my grandparents, but I clearly remembered that. My father had called my mother, who had gotten a hold of my grandparents on the ship. From there, they had brought me to see my sister, knowing I wasn't going to be okay until I saw that she was alright.

At the hospital, I had seen her mother leaving as we were entering. I had tried to talk to her, ask if my sister was okay, but she had ignored me, looking upset as she ran off. I had been confused by the interaction, Kara had always been kind to me, and it wasn't until a little later that I discovered what happened. My father told me not to tell Amanda, and let her think that her mother had died. I never knew Kara had tried to drown Amanda, not until my mother told me. After it happened, he had confided in my mother what was going to happen, wanting to make sure Amanda had a mother figure if needed. I'd gone along with the ruse because of him, and I'd almost forgotten about it until my sister asked.

"You did know," Amanda said, and I finally looked at her. She seemed hurt, which suggested to me that at some point, she had figured the ruse out. Or maybe Kara had come back, it was hard to say.

"I didn't know all of it. I only knew she was alive for a while. I didn't find out about the drowning until after Dad died." I confessed. "Dad made me promise not to tell you." I said, hoping my sister wasn't upset by the fact that I kept the secret for so long.

"Did you know she was ill?" I scratched the back of my head. Did I know that? As a child I didn't. I remember thinking Kara was a little off sometimes, but not ill. Then again, I was nine the last time I saw her so maybe I was wrong.

"No, not until I found out about the real cause of the drowning." I admitted. The drowning had been a tip off that something was very off with Kara, but I never thought about how ill she might be. "Are you mad?" I asked tentatively. Being back in the house, seeing my grown up sister here, it made me fear that I might lose her even more. I had already lost her once here, it would be like the universe to take her away again while I stood in this house.

"No, I'm not. You did what was asked of you, I can't hate you for that." My sister said, giving me a warm smile. "And, I know Dad did it for a reason, and so did you." My sister said, coming towards me and putting her hand on my arm. "I'm glad you came back,"

My heart soared at her words. I finally felt like she was happy to have me around. Or maybe she was just trying to keep me happy until she disappeared. But it suddenly didn't matter. What mattered was that for the first time, I felt like I had my sister again.


	44. Chapter 44

Getting to spend time with my sister in the house I once spent a summer in was really cool. I felt like I was making up for lost time, and sitting in the living room rubbing a napping JD's back, I almost felt kind of normal. At least until my sister pulled out a necklace and asked Nolan to price it.

I craned my neck, trying to see the necklace. "That's not really your style, is it?" I asked, trying to decide if my sister would wear a necklace like that. I didn't think so, it almost seemed too bulky for her delicate figure.

"No, but Daniel wouldn't know that," Amanda said as Nolan gave her a price range. I let out a low whistle at the sound of the price. I didn't even think Alex paid that much for my engagement ring, and here Daniel was dropping it for a shower gift, that was crazy to me. Even now I was pretty sure Alex's most expensive gift to me didn't even come close to that figure.

I gently put JD down on the floor nearby, knowing he could sleep anywhere, and stood behind my sister to see the watches she was looking at. They were all nice, and one looked a little like the one Alex's grandfather got Alex for Christmas a few years ago. Though, I knew it hadn't caught nearly as much as the watches my sister was looking at.

As she looked, my eyes trailed to the bracelet on my wrist. It was a small bracelet, not flashy but it meant a lot to me. The small silver bracelet, accented with an anchor and my name inscribed on the inside. It was a bracelet my father had given me when I turned eighteen, a bracelet I often wore during stressful periods of my life, which was almost always. It meant a lot to me. My father had picked it out of a magazine, asking my mother to get it for me. He'd also picked one out for Amanda, one I had in my suitcase at the inn. He'd given it to me before Amanda's eighteenth birthday, asking me to give it to my sister when the time was right. After the letter she sent me, I didn't think the time was right. Looking at her now, I knew the time was finally right and with the shower coming up, I wondered if this was the gift she needed before she left.

I glanced at the watch on the screen, the one that came with a GPS chip and a signal to get the coast guard. "I like that one too," I said, knowing the idea of being able to track my sister would be wonderful. If I knew where she was, I could save her if needed. I could keep protecting her, hopefully long before I had to bury her.

Amanda didn't seem onboard as she shut the computer, saying she had to go. "I'll see you at the shower," I said as she left, waiting until she was out of earshot before leaning over the couch. "How small can you make a tracking chip?" I asked, my fingers playing with the bracelet on my wrist.

"Small, why?" Nolan asked as I showed Nolan the bracelet.

"Because, if you can make it fit on this, we might have a way to continue to track her," I said, watching as Nolan examined the bracelet.

"You think your sister would allow that?" I gave Nolan my signature look, and he smiled.

"Well, I think we can pull this off," Nolan said, glancing at his own watch.

"You better get moving, you can't attend any party in the Hamptons wearing that. No offense," I rolled my eyes before going around the couch and carefully scooping up my son, doing my best not to wake him up before turning to look at Nolan.

"None taken. I'll see you there," I said, heading out the door towards the car I had followed Nolan in. Looking over at the Grayson house, I couldn't help but wonder what Victoria's newest play was, and why it involved my son.


	45. Chapter 45

The Grayson's house was in full party mode when I arrived. I had chosen an emerald green tea length dress for the evening, one with an square neck line that I accented with one of my favorite heart necklaces, one that had been a gift from Alex on our wedding day. The simple silver piece looked nice with the necklace, though I thought my cutest accessory was my son. I had put him in some black pants and a green button down with a gray sweatvest over top. It was an outfit similar to the ones that we usually did family pictures in, and it made him look like a little model. Already, I could see a few of the women at the party pointing at him and making faces that implied they found him just plain adorable. I myself thought he looked handsome, though JD didn't seem pleased with the ensemble as he kept pulling at the sweater like he didn't understand it's purpose.

"JD, no," I said as he yanked at his sweater again, this time trying to take it off. "It needs to stay on," I said, using the hand not supporting him to smooth the sweater down again. I glanced around for my sister, only to see something, or rather someone I wasn't expecting.

Across the room from me, Sara was setting up, and I was surprised to see her. I had really thought that she would of left the Grayson's presence by now, but apparently she didn't know what was good for her. I felt bad as I watched her move with a tray of food, but I knew that I couldn't go over there. I had already tried to help her repeatedly, and it hadn't gotten me anywhere. She was still here, and she didn't seem to want to leave. At this point, I knew I could only hope that whatever my sister had to do didn't destroy the girl's life completely.

Once I finally spotted my sister, I made my way towards her, nodding briefly at Victoria Grayson who seemed much too excited for the event to begin.

"Miss Ramston, I'm so glad you came, and you brought your son. Hello," Victoria said, giving a wave to JD. JD waved back, and I had to fight the urge to slap the woman in the face.

"Well, I couldn't miss the bridal shower, not when I'm a part of the bridal party." I said, watching as Victoria's face turned cold.

"We'll see." Victoria said vaguely. "I'll leave you two to talk. I need to go check on something," Victoria said, walking away and leaving me with Emily.

"Is it just me, or is she very anti you?" I asked, looking towards my sister, who seemed more focused on Daniel and Sara than on me.

"She's anti everyone," Amanda said after a moment, finally turning to look at me. "Which is why I need you to have an amazing speech," I raised an eyebrow, adjusting JD on my hip.

"I'm sorry, speech?" I said, unaware I had to speak at this event at all.

"The bridesmaids have to make a speech. Charlotte is giving one, you need to as well. I thought you knew that," I shook my head. I hadn't been aware of that at all.

"If you don't want to-" I stopped my sister.

"Oh, I don't mind. I'm great at speeches. Public speaking and me and totally compatible. Being CEO and all it's necessary," I babbled. Truthfully, I hated public speaking. Talking in front of a large crowd, it absolutely terrified me. Whenever I had to speak at large corporate meetings, I always had to give myself a pep talk in the mirror for at least ten minutes beforehand, and even then my knees usually shook from behind any podium. That was the entire reason I didn't do speeches at colleges no matter how often I was asked, and why I refused to hold meetings in person that were larger than fifteen people if I could help it. But for my sister, I would do anything, including facing my own fears.

"Wonderful. We're seated up there if you want to let JD sit." Amanda said, pointing to a table near the front. I started to walk away, only to stop when I heard my sister's voice again. "You look great by the way," Amanda said, but by the time I turned to thank her, she was gone, likely off to deal with Sara. But I couldn't think about that, not when I had a speech to think about.


	46. Chapter 46

I sincerely hate speech giving. The entire time Charlotte was giving her speech, I could feel the butterflies growing in my stomach. Or maybe they weren't butterflies as much as bats for how large they felt. I bounced JD on my lap as I waited for my turn, trying to replay the words I would say in my head over and over, hoping they would come out correctly and not be a complete mess.

As soon as Charlotte was done, I stood up, handing JD to Emily to hold. In my haze, I vaguely heard Charlotte threaten Emily, but I didn't have time to think about it as I approached the stage, doing my best not to trip as I stepped up and turned to face everyone.

"Hello," I said, glad no one had a microphone to put in my face. I hated microphones with a passion, and it tended to make my fear of public speaking a lot worse. "I'm going to apologize now if I ramble. I'm terrible with speeches," I said, knowing that usually broke the ice when I had to speak in front of a large group I didn't know. A few people laugh, but most just gave me bored smiles.

"I'm Genevieve Ramston," I saw a few whispers at that, mostly men I presumed were in some kind of business and now recognized me. Looking at one of them, I was certain I had spoken at a business conference he attended before, though I may have just been looking for a familiar face to make me feel better. "And I'm one of Emily's bridesmaids, and I'd like to think one of her close friends," I said, focusing my attention on my sister.

"I first met Emily when I was twenty-eight and forced onto a board for the continuation of arts education in schools by my grandfather, who believed that I needed to get out of my usual day to day operations and find something I was passionate about. Evidently, he didn't think being passionate about the company was enough," The businessmen in the crowd laughed, as did Conrad and Daniel, which made me feel a little better as I started to spin my fake story of how I met Emily Thorne.

"The first three meetings, I found excuses not to attend. But the fourth meeting I couldn't find an excuse for, so off I trudged to this meeting, firmly convinced I would be the youngest one on the board and forced to listen as people much older than I debated whether students should be taught Van Gogh or Monet. Instead, I arrived to find Emily, a force to be reckoned with and someone who's passion for the arts was impressive." I lied, the story coming with ease. I was basically just telling the story of how I met my college roommate. Except instead of meeting her at a board meeting for enhancement of art education, she and I had met at a debate the college had put on for the incoming freshmen. I had simply been watching while she had debated the merits of allowing guys and girls to live within the same dorm buildings. Afterwards, I had talked to her simply to congratulate her, but ended up agreeing to be her roommate after realizing just how great of a person she was.

"Being the two youngest there, we quickly became friends, bonding over trips to art galleries and schools to see where our money went. She and I spent a lot of time together, until she decided to move out to the Hamptons, leaving me the youngest on the board again. However, I kept up my correspondence with her, happy when she told me that she had fallen in love, for I believed that if anyone deserved to fall in love and be happy, it was Emily." I focused my attention on Daniel.

"Emily is one of the kindest people I have ever met. Her passion for life is only matched by her passion for the people she loves. She is someone I am proud to call my friend, and someone I'm glad my sister called her friend," I said, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"My sister Amanda, she had a rough life, something I blame myself for. Emily reached out to her in a way that I'm grateful for. While my sister can't be here to see Emily marry Daniel, I know she'd be so excited that Emily is going to marry someone that loves her so much," I said, noticing how Daniel looked away, causing me to look at Amanda.

"Emily and Daniel, I wish you all the happiness the world has to offer." I said, giving the happy couple a smile before carefully walking off stage, taking my son from Amanda, giving her a kiss on the cheek as I did. "I really hope this makes you happy, star," I said, using the nickname I used to call her as a child, one my father would sometimes call her as well. It referred to our opposite personalities, and the reference had Amanda smiling as she looked at me. I took my seat again, putting JD on my lap once again and watching as Conrad took the stage with Daniel for a new game, one that Victoria seemed too excited for as I watched her, trying to figure out what her end game was here, because whatever it was, it couldn't be good.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm hoping to have this episode finished before the next episode airs. I'm SUPER excited for the wedding episode and Gen's role in it. Please continue to read and review! All the reviews make me excited to keep writing! **

I could care less about the game Conrad was playing with Daniel, finding the retelling of some college tale I didn't even know the back story of rather boring. It did bring back my own bridal shower memories though, specifically the game where all the bridesmaids had to share some story about me. Since most of the people at the bridal shower knew at least one of the bridesmaids, it was a fun game. Here, the game seemed to be just dragging on as Daniel's teammate told some story of near drowning. I was about ready to start making up a game of my own called, How I think the Story really went, when I felt someone's hand on my shoulder.

"Can I talk to you?" I looked up to see Margaux standing over me, her gaze intent and face determined, suggesting something was really on her mind.

"Sure," I said, standing up and pulling JD with me. I'd been bouncing him on my lap, and the change of position seemed to make him happier, though for a two year old anything was probably better than sitting and listening as grown ups told some story that didn't make sense to them. And anything was probably better than sitting being stared at by two adults who didn't seem to know that staring at a young child was confusing, especially when they were giving two different looks. Victoria's look was one of calculating, while Charlotte's look was one of wistfulness, like she wished life was a little different than it currently was. Both were looks I had been trying to ignore, but looks I knew JD had noticed based on how he had kept looking at them and then me while I bounced him.

"What's going on?" I asked as I hovered near the doorway with Margaux, curious as to why she pulled me away. I was grateful that she had, I just wasn't certain as to why she felt the need to.

"Nolan Ross won't tell me anything," That sentence made no sentence out of context, and I raised an eyebrow to indicate that she needed to explain that further. "He refuses to talk about Conrad Grayson. Says I should drop it," Ah, that made more sense. Behind me, I could hear Victoria talking, and guessed Emily was being dragged onto the stage. A quick look over my shoulder confirmed that, and I turned back to Margaux.

"He's right to request that. I've known Nolan a long time, and he has never blamed the Grayson's for his downfall, and neither have I. I already told you, Conrad Grayson is not the man to start your book publishing industry with. Whatever secrets he holds, they aren't yours to uncover." I said, aware that I knew a lot of those secrets and I wasn't using them against him because I valued my life. I know it may sound like a hypocrisy, a journalist not revealing all she knows, but to me, journalistic ethics come behind keeping my family safe.

"If anyone should want Conrad Grayson to pay it should be you, David Clarke was your father," I pursed my lips, not appreciating Margaux bringing that up.

"That may be. But my father is dead, and the past with him." I said, knowing that Margaux digging up Conrad's past would reveal a lot that didn't need to be known, including a few things about me that I preferred remain buried.

"Do you truly believe that?" Margaux asked. Truthfully, there were times when I would love for the Grayson's sins to come to light. But I had learned long ago that forcing them into daylight tended to do more harm to the person digging than good, and looking at Margaux, I could practically see a target beginning to form on her back, one for Jack's sake, I needed to protect her from.

"I believe that some things are better buried," I said, turning when I heard a gasp in the room. Standing at the other entrance to the room, I could see an older man, one that was apparently my sister's first husband.

"Oh no," I said, not sure how this was going to play out but knowing I needed to protect my sister. "Take him," I said, handing JD to a confused Margaux. My son made a sound, but I ignored it as I started walking towards the front of the room, a thousand excuses playing through my mind. I had hired this man as a prank, he was an old family friend, I asked her to do this for me. But, my sister seemed to have a handle on, and it was a good handle. She started spinning a story that seemed to make everyone happy, and I crossed my arms, shocked my sister managed to turn that around so fast. It was like she was already three steps ahead, and I was rather impressed, I really was.

Seeing my sister pulling it all off so well, I decided that it might be my time to make an exit. I headed back to Margaux, noticing how she was struggling to hold onto a squirming JD. "It's okay, buddy," I said, taking my son back and nestling him on my hip.

"I will find the truth," Margaux said as I adjusted JD better on my hip. I didn't even look at Margaux as I smoothed out JD's sweater vest again.

"I wish you luck with that, but don't be surprised if no one is willing to talk. The business world is a tricky place, Margaux. Powerful men run it, and you aren't going to get in without the proper credentials," I said, finally looking at Margaux. "A journalist like yourself will never find secrets that are buried so deeply, so find something else to focus on I beg you," I said, knowing that she needed to drop her quest if she was going to remain safe. The last person that had went digging in the Grayson's background I was pretty sure was never seen again, and I didn't want that fate for Margaux.

"I will find the answers," Margaux said, her determination obvious as she turned to leave. I shook my head as she went, wishing she would heed the advice of someone who had been around the Grayson block more than once. But, I knew that determined look, it was a hard one to deter and I knew that she'd get hurt before she walked away from the situation. However, that didn't mean I couldn't walk away.

I started walking towards the door, snagging the gift I had gotten for Amanda from the table. I didn't trust it in this household now, and I was starting to think I'd rather give it to her in person anyway. Just as I was walking away, a cold voice caught my attention.

"Miss Ramston, wait a moment," I suppressed a groan as I turned to see Victoria coming towards me.

"Victoria, I'd rather not," I said, my voice cool and collected, though on the inside I felt like I might snap.

"Miss Ramston, I'm only asking for a moment to discuss a truce," That got my attention.

"A truce? Last I checked, you weren't in to truces," Victoria smiled, and I was reminded of a cobra about to strike.

"I'm usually not. But I have nothing against you. I once loved your father-," I stopped her.

"You don't betray the ones you love, and I refuse to stand here and let you talk about my father," Victoria didn't look fazed.

"Calm down. I'm simply saying, I have nothing against you and wish to end whatever animosity is between us." I shook my head, trying to continue moving forward, only to feel Victoria grab my arm.

"Let go," I demanded, trying to twist my arm away from her.

"Don't be rash. I'm asking for a truce for Charlotte's sake," I stopped for a moment, narrowing my eyes as I tried to figure out how sincere Victoria was being at that.

"For Charlotte's sake," I said, not even sure if Victoria knew what doing something for someone else even looked like.

"Yes. She misses having you to talk to. She needs a sister," I glanced towards Charlotte.

"She'll have Emily soon," I said, adjusting JD once again as he started to squirm against my hip.

"Emily won't be around for long, but you will be," I raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what that meant.

"Why won't Emily be around for long?" Victoria waved a dismissive hand.

"That doesn't matter. What's important is that you are there for Charlotte," I glanced at Amanda, remembering how the first night she had asked me to watch out for Charlotte. I had agreed, but now was refusing because I saw too much Grayson in her. However, my sister's words still rang in my head, and turning towards Victoria, I knew I'd regret the next words from my mouth.

"Fine, just remember that truces for me, like all business deals, come with a price. Make sure you are ready to pay that price," I said, glad when Victoria let me go. I started to walk away, until her earlier words about my father stopped me.

"Victoria," I said, turning to look at her. "Don't ever talk about my father again. Whatever you think you knew about him, whatever you thought you felt for him, it was all a lie. Don't think you're free from the guilt of that sin," I said before walking away, ready to be away from the entire Grayson bunch.


	48. Chapter 48

Getting away from the Grayson bunch, apparently meant spending time with my sister, Nolan, and the man my sister claimed was her first husband. Nolan had caught me on my way out and dragged me to his house, and had even gotten JD down for a nap for me. No easy feat given that he had an interrupted nap earlier, but evidently Nolan had some magic touch I wasn't aware of that had my son asleep while I sipped wine out on the patio with Amanda and Rohan.

I listened as they went back in forth in a language I didn't recognize, wondering why I hadn't stuck with my dream to be bilingual like my grandfather had suggested. All I had learned was some French, and even that was shaky at best. Here, my sister seemed to be able to speak almost any language with ease, making me wonder if maybe I just hadn't inherited a gift for languages like my sister had.

Once they started in English once again, I was grateful, preferring to speak English and hear English.

"Rohan, I have to say thank you for helping my sister. You have my eternal gratitude," Rohan smiled.

"I have to thank her for helping me, I wouldn't be as happy as I am without her," I gave my sister a proud smile, happy to hear that she had done something so wonderful for someone else. Though hearing of the revenge mission Rohan had been on, it gave me some mixed feelings.

On the inside, I was feeling excited to see that Rohan had a happy life after his mission was over. But at the same time, it saddened me to see that there could be happiness after vengeance, it almost went against everything I had ever believed. My father had always taught me that vengeance would get me nowhere, that revenge only blinded both parties involved. I had believed it wouldn't get me happiness, but seeing Rohan made me question that belief.

"Do many revenge missions go well?" I asked, curious as to whether Rohan was an exception to how they usually went. Next to me, Amanda flinched.

"Don't ask that question," I gave my sister a confused look, wondering why I couldn't ask that question. As a journalist, I believed in asking lots of questions, and trained all my editors to ask as many questions as possible, and here I was being told not to ask questions.

"It's not something we're supposed to talk about, but I understand the curiosity. You were once a journalist, no?" I blinked in surprise. "Takeda mentioned it," I forced a smile as Amanda glanced towards Rohan.

"How did Takeda know about Gen?" Rohan looked at me and I gave a subtle shake of my head.

"He kept tabs on her, just to make sure she didn't ruin your plan," I knew that was a lie, but it was a lie I was grateful for as I downed the rest of my wine.

"Journalist yes," I said as soon as the wine was gone from my glass. "That's my original training. I own a company now," Rohan nodded, but I got the sense he already knew that information about me.

I was glad when the subject changed to the watch, and tried to ignore how Nolan was looking at me. It was clear that he hadn't missed what happened between Rohan and I, but I wasn't about to explain. It was a long story, one that I had hoped would remain buried. Takeda had promised it would after all.

The fact that my sister wanted to get the watch with a GPS chip inscribed had me excited. Apparently, she wasn't going to leave us forever.

"So you know, if you need that rescue signal to go somewhere you can send it to me. I'll get an army to come rescue you," Amanda laughed as I took another glass of wine from Nolan.

"I second that." Nolan said, taking a sip of his wine as Amanda turned to address me.

"Thank you, and thank you for all you've done. I know this hasn't been easy, but I appreciate everything you done for me," I felt tears start to prick at the back of my eyes and quickly cleared my throat, not wanting to cry.

"It's not a problem. Dad would be disappointed if I hadn't done it, he said my number one priority was to protect you," I said, before looking to the box sitting next to me, the same box I had snagged from the bridal shower.

"Speaking of dad," I said, picking up the box and handing it to my sister. "This is from him," Amanda looked touched as she took the box, carefully pulling off the bow and wrapping paper.

"Dad had my mother buy it and hold onto it. He picked it out though, just asked my mother to pick it up. He wanted to have something special to give us since he knew he wouldn't be there for us in person." I explained as my sister picked up the silver bracelet in the box, one that had a small star where mine had an anchor. On the inside, her name was engraved just like with mine, but unlike with mine hers also had a double infinity sign inside of it. That had been her and dad's thing, while I had always been fascinated with the idea of stability and endings.

"It's beautiful," Amanda said softly, turning the bracelet over in her hand.

"Dad got us similar ones. He asked me to give it to you when the time was right. I thought if you plan to disappear, then the time is right," I said, showing her my bracelet. The anchor and the star, it was meant to represent our personalities. I was an anchor, someone who held steady during storms and remained grounded and hard to move unless absolutely necessary. Amanda had always been a star, full of vast dreams and endless possibilities, and always reaching for something beyond her. My father told me that he thought our opposing personalities fit us well, and it made us a force to be reckoned with. Staring at the bracelet now, I knew that my father was right, we probably were a force to be reckoned with, we just didn't know how to get onto the same page.

"Thank you," Amanda said, and much to my surprise, she gave me a hug, her arms wrapping around me in a way that reminded me of when we were little and she used to hug me every time I got back from my mothers. It was a hug of happiness to be returned to ones home, and a hug to say that they never wanted to let go. However, my sister did let go and I took in some more wine to keep back the emotions that were trying to bubble to the surface.

"There's another gift. But you'll get that one on your wedding day. Dad meant it specifically for that." I explained, knowing I had gotten a gift on my wedding day from my mother, one she explained my father had left for me. That gift meant the world to me, and I knew the gift for my sister would mean the world to her as well.

"Maybe I should just get it now," I laughed as I shook my head, turning my head towards the back door as I heard my son's voice yelling for me.

"No, you have to wait. It's special, and it needs a special occasion," I said, getting up so I could go grab my son. "I need to go, JD needs to eat and I need to get out of this dress." I said, putting my hand on my sister's shoulder.

"I'll see you soon." I said before waving at Nolan. "Bye, Nolan," I said before heading back towards the house, grabbing my son and heading towards the door, glad that my sister had something else to remember my father by, something I knew would remind her of me as well.


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: Hey everyone! This is the last chapter for the episode Secrecy. I loved this episode, and I know that the next episode is going to be great (haven't watched it yet. Try not to watch and episode till I'm ready to write for it!). I'm looking forward to writing about the wedding and getting into some of Genevieve's secrets. Please continue to read and review! And to all those taking finals out there, GOOD LUCK!**

Getting JD into bed, I settled down in my own room to watch some TV. I had barely started flipping through channels when I saw my phone go off on the nightstand nearby. I was tempted to ignore it, just let whatever it was wait until tomorrow. But, I couldn't, around here it seemed like nothing ever waited. Plus, I knew it could be from Amanda, so I pulled my phone towards me, pressing the button to light up the screen.

The words on the screen had me freezing. The text was from Jack, telling me that Margaux had found a source. My mind immediately started racing, trying to figure out who that source might be. I had told Adam to silence everyone, so who had he missed? My mind spun through the names I had sent him, trying to decide which one might be the leak, who might not of accepted our offer to keep silent.

After a moment, I felt my blood rush from my face as I grabbed my nearby computer and got online, my fingers typing furiously to get onto the email account I rarely used. It was considered a secret account of sorts, used for when I needed to keep things quiet, like certain people I personally had to keep quiet. Inside my email account were a few emails, all from the same person, a person I thought I had been careful with. I'd given her a good place to live, I'd provided for her, and now I feared she had decided to spring a leak.

I opened the newest email, my stomach dropping as I read through its contents. Apparently, while I was busy helping my sister, she was getting restless and didn't appreciate the fact that I only checked my email about once a month. She wanted more money, more space, or she was going to talk. Evidently, she was talking as the last line only held a threat I knew was all too true, that unless I found a way to make her happy she was going to spill everything.

With shaky fingers, I dialed a number I rarely had to use. It was a number I had attached to my own account, one that was used specifically so I could get in contact with the woman I hadn't had the heart to let die, a woman that I now regretted letting out of my sites.

I listened as the phone went straight to voicemail, the voicemail chilling me to the core as I listened to Lydia Davis's calculating voice start speaking my greatest fears.

"If you're listening to this Genevieve, you obviously finally checked your email. Unfortunately for you, it's too late and I'm already on a plane for the Hamptons. Due to your generosity, I'll keep your greatest secrets quiet. Though, I'm afraid a few small ones might come out as I try to expose Conrad for the rat he is. Take care." I started to feel faint as I heard the beep telling me the message was over. I didn't know what to do, my shaking hands doing what was familiar.

"Hello?" I heard next, the comforting voice of my husband on the line. I hadn't even realized I had dialed him, a force of habit I suppose. "Gen, babe what's going on?" Alex said, my obvious hesitation to say anything clearly alarming him.

"She's going to talk," I said, the words coming out quickly as I started to babble. "She's going to talk after I did so much to make sure she didn't. I thought I was doing the right thing, she only thinks of herself," I said, my mind going a million miles an hour in panic. My sister was going to kill me when she found out what I had done, what my grandfather had done. My sister was going to cut ties with me, already I could see visions of my sister walking out of my life for good running through my head.

"Gen, you aren't making any sense," Alex said, and I knew he was right. I wasn't making any sense, but I knew this wasn't something I could exactly explain over the phone either.

"Alex, I need you," I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could really think them through. I had started my quest not wanting to get Alex involved, but this game felt like it was spinning out of control. It was a chess match I didn't see a way to win, and I knew Alex would be the one to get me out. He'd always been the one to save me.

"I'm booking a ticket now," Alex said, and I knew he wasn't kidding. He would drop everything for me, it was why I loved him. Well, that and a few other things. "Don't do anything until I get there. Just stay put," Alex warned before the phone went dead in my ear. Evidently, he had hung up in his rush to get out and I set my phone on my bed, shutting my laptop as I did.

Outside, the night sky was sparkling, yet staring out the window, I could only wonder how many more nights I would get before my sister discovered my secret. How many nights I would get before my life changed once again. Looking at the night, I was reminded of my mother's words to me as a child, the Hampton's were cursed for those with everything to lose, and no one was immune.


End file.
